


Sixth Year: The Kids Aren't So Innocent Anymore

by DominusMortis



Series: Harry Potter and Why He Should Never Be Left Unsupervised [6]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Christmas Parties, F/M, Fights, Growing Up, Gryffindors Being Gryffindors, Lessons, M/M, No bad Draco, Potions, Quidditch Matches, Rising Tension, Severus is still a bitch, aka they're idiots, everyday Hogwarts life, friends being friends, some explicit content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:35:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 13
Words: 53,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26623750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DominusMortis/pseuds/DominusMortis
Summary: It's now their sixth year at Hogwarts and for once, Sarah would like a normal year. At first it seems like she's gotten her wish, until Dumbledore starts giving Harry secret lessons and Crabbe is acting weirder than usual. Add to that Ron's new relationship and there is havoc within the fantastic fivesome.As the world outside begins to get darker and more dangerous, Sarah and her friends must start coming to terms with decisions that will shape their lives forever.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Fred Weasley/Original Female Character(s), Lavender Brown/Ron Weasley, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Series: Harry Potter and Why He Should Never Be Left Unsupervised [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1789387
Comments: 6
Kudos: 48





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> I am backkkkkkk!!!!! Sorry Uni has been hectic but I've finally finished the seventh book :(
> 
> Please enjoy this slightly less emotionally wrenching addition to the series!

“Oh no, you fucking don’t!”

Sarah laughed as she shot past Harry, swiping her hand out and grabbing the Quaffle as it soared towards him. Harry swore and zoomed after her.

“I’ll get you for that one!” Harry shouted again and Sarah merely flipped upside down and stuck her tongue out at him.

“Draco! Stop staring at Harry’s arse and fucking _move!”_ yelled Ginny from across the field.

Draco shouted back something that Sarah couldn’t hear before dropping into motion. The four of them, plus Ron, Charlie, Hermione and Bill had descended into a ruthless makeshift game of Quidditch in the backyard of Sarah’s Manor.

Since her father had died, the Manor and all the Deaumont assets went into Sarah’s possession. She, Remus, Sirius and Draco had spent most of the summer sorting through inventories and dealing with the bureaucracy of Gringotts. Finally, after weeks of mind-numbing work, everything was in Sarah’s name and she had stepped foot into the Manor for the first time in three years.

The first thing she had done was to ask the house-elves to get rid of anything her father owned and to help clean up the results of years of neglect. Now, the hallways sparkled again and Sarah could comfortably walk through the rooms without first checking that it was safe.

She weaved suddenly when Charlie appeared in front of her, laughing maniacally and swiping for the Quaffle.

“Damn it, Deaumont!” he shouted. “Stop avoiding and fight me!”

“Charlie, you’re double my size,” Sarah yelled back. “You’d knock me out of the air immediately.”

She threw the Quaffle to Bill, who shot away from them toward the two trees that Draco was guarding. Only Sarah and Ginny had been allowed to play their usual positions as they had elected to leave out the Beaters and Seekers. Each team had three Chasers, Sarah, Bill and Hermione; and Harry, Ginny and Charlie. Ron and Draco were acting as Keepers.

“Draco, I know you can fucking do better!” screamed Ginny as Bill scored a point for Sarah’s team.

“I’m a Seeker, not a Keeper, fuck off, Ginevra!” was Draco’s reply.

“Oi, watch your fucking language!” shouted a voice from below them.

Sarah looked down to see Sirius and Remus smirking up at them.

“All of you get your arses down here!” called Sirius. “Unless you want Molly to come up there and drag you down by your ears!”

Immediately, the eight of them flew down and disembarked with various levels of grace: Sarah and Ginny jumped off their brooms a foot above the ground and landed calmly on the ground, smiling at the others; Hermione awkwardly fumbled off hers and Bill and Charlie had to each grab an arm to keep her upright; Harry eyed Draco evilly a second before he launched himself at the other boy, causing them both to tumble to the ground; Ron simply touched down and hopped off his broom, shaking his head at the boys tackling on the ground.

Sirius looked as if he were tempting to join in the wrestling match but Remus looked at him sharply. Sarah tutted and dragged Draco up by his collar, pulling him bodily off Harry.

“If you two would quit acting like children for _five minutes_ ,” she chided, brushing grass off Draco’s t-shirt.

Sirius let out a bark of laughter and pulled Harry to his feet.

“Glad to see you’re enjoying yourselves,” he commented wryly, looking around at them.

Sarah shrugged. “Might as well use all this space,” she said. “Considering I won’t be living in it for a few more years.”

Remus nodded. “You’ve done a good job,” he praised. “But now, we all have to be getting back to the Burrow – Molly wants you all there for dinner.”

Begrudgingly, everyone grabbed their brooms and the Quaffle and began to follow Sirius and Remus into the downstairs sitting room, where the Floo waited for them.

When Sarah emerged from the fire into the Burrow’s living room, she was delighted to find the twin’s grinning down at her.

“Fred! George!” she exclaimed, jumping up to wrap her arms around both of them. They had grown taller again and were easily hitting over six-foot. They weren’t the only ones. Seeing Draco, Ron and Harry stand beside them showed just how much the other three boys had grown throughout the year. Ron was already the same height as the twins, with Draco and Harry quickly catching up to them. Sarah was delighted to see that she was level with Draco’s chin, putting her at the same height as Fred’s shoulder.

Sarah jumped when Sirius appeared beside her and threw an arm over her shoulder.

“Oh, they grow up so fast,” he said dramatically, wiping away a non-existent tear.

Sarah laughed and pushed him away from her before gliding into the kitchen.

“Hey, Mrs Weasley,” she greeted. “Do you need any help?”

Mrs Weasley looked over her shoulder from where she was standing in front of the stove, waving her wand and stirring multiple sauces at once.

“No thank you, dear,” Mrs Weasley said warmly. “You just sit down with the others now. Dinner is nearly ready.”

“What’s for dinner, Mum?” Ron asked, snagging a meat pie off a plate. Sarah slapped his hand away as he went to take another one.

“You’ll see soon, Ronald,” Mrs Weasley said. “Go set the table.”

“Why do I have to do it?” he complained.

“Because you’re trying to steal food,” replied Mrs Weasley. “Now go.”

Ron grumbled all the way out of the kitchen and shot Sarah a dark look when she fell comfortably into a chair at the table.

“Ronald, darling, you haven’t given me a knife,” Sarah said sweetly, blinking innocently.

Ron gripped a spare knife tightly and cocked his head at her, as if contemplating whether it was worth shoving it in her eye or not.

“Better not, mate,” Harry said, plucking the utensil out of Ron’s hand just as Mrs Weasley walked into the room, weighed down by various dishes.

Dinner at the Burrow was always the same: it was loud, messy and chaotic. But tonight was different. Mrs Weasley brought out a large cake, intricately decorated specifically for Harry. The dark-haired boy blushed bright red as everyone sang Happy Birthday, George leaning across the ruffle his messy hair.

Hours later, they were all groaning on the couches spread throughout the living room, clutching their stomachs.

“I don’t think I can ever eat again,” moaned Ron pitifully.

Fred snorted. “Yeah, that’s likely,” he scoffed. “I don’t think you could ever stop eating, Ron. It’s amazing you’re not the size of Hagrid.”

“Hey, don’t be rude to Hagrid,” said Harry from where he was lying in Draco’s lap.

“Sorry, sorry,” apologised Fred.

Sarah sighed deeply. “I’m knackered. I’m heading up,” she announced.

A chorus of goodnights followed her up the stairs as she pushed into Fred and George’s old room.

***

The end of summer came much too quickly for Sarah’s liking. She had spent most of it working in Fred and George’s shop with Draco, and occasionally Harry, Ron or Ginny. A week before they were meant to go back to Hogwarts, Dumbledore suddenly appeared after dinner and took Harry away without explanation.

Draco paced up and down the length of the living room until Harry reappeared. He looked thoroughly annoyed with everything.

“What did Dumbledore want?” Sarah asked as Draco hovered around Harry anxiously.

Harry groaned and patted Draco’s hands away gently, smiling reassuringly at his boyfriend. “He wanted me to convince an old teacher to come back to Hogwarts this year,” he said. “It was horrible. I felt like I was a fascinating creature under his examination.”

Draco grimaced. “Was that all?”

Harry nodded. “Yep,” he confirmed. “Dumbledore got what he wanted and then dropped me off back here.”

“That old man is getting more and more annoying each year,” Sarah stated dryly. Both boys nodded in agreement. “Well, I’m glad you’re back Harry but I’m going to bed,” Sarah said, pressing kisses to both their cheeks. “Don’t stay up too late.” She disappeared up the stairs.

Draco looked at Harry when the other boy let out a low groan.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

Harry nodded. “Just tired,” he said. “It’s been a long night.”

“Come on,” Draco said softly, taking Harry’s hand gently in his own. “Let’s get you to bed.”

“Will you be joining me?” Harry asked with a lopsided smile.

Draco rolled his eyes and pulled Harry in for a kiss. The other boy sighed happily and tried to deepen it but Draco pulled away with a smirk.

“Not while we’re under this roof,” he replied slyly. “Up you go.”

Despite Draco’s words, he did end up crawling into Harry’s bed behind him and curling up against his warm body. Harry held him tightly against his chest and pressed a soft kiss to Draco’s forehead.

Draco couldn’t help the small smile that broke out across his face.

***

“Ugh, _please_ tell me you didn’t have sex while I was in the room.”

Ron’s pained voice woke Harry up the next morning. He blinked away the grogginess and slowly tried to sit up. A disgruntled noise made him pause and look down.

Draco was lying tightly curled on top of Harry’s chest. Harry smiled down at him and ran his fingers gently through his boyfriend’s blond hair.

“Stop it,” muttered Draco.

“Stop what?”

“Smiling. I can feel it.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s too early for emotions. Let me sleep,” Draco groaned. He tried to bury his head further under the covers.

Ron sighed loudly from the other side of the room.

“Sorry to break up your lovefest,” he said in a voice that showed he definitely wasn’t sorry, “but Sarah’s been calling for your arses for the past ten minutes. I think she’s going to storm up here soon and drag you downstairs.”

“Ugh, what does she want?” Draco asked, reluctantly letting Harry sit up.

“No clue,” Ron shrugged. He pulled a shirt over his head and then straightened. “I’m heading down for breakfast. If you guys want any you should probably get up now.”

Draco’s next words were muffled by the pillow. Judging from his annoyed grunt at the end, Harry guessed that they hadn’t been very pleasant.

Gradually, Harry managed to coax Draco from out of the warm bed, somehow promising to not only give his boyfriend a massage but also to spend the afternoon doing nothing but stroking Draco’s hair.

“There you guys are!” exclaimed Sarah as they finally made their way downstairs. “I’ve been waiting for ages!”

“Sorry, Sarah,” Harry said apologetically. “ _Someone_ wouldn’t get out of bed,” he added, with a pointed look at Draco.

Draco just shrugged and snagged a pastry off Sarah’s plate.

“I was up late last night,” he said. “I needed my sleep-in.”

“I don’t need to know about your bedroom habits, darling,” Sarah said, just as Harry was taking a sip of tea. He choked and spluttered, spraying tea across the table at Hermione.

She ducked out of the way with a shout of disgust. “Harry!”

“Sorry!” he gasped. He turned to Sarah. “What the fuck, Sarah?”

“What?” she said innocently, stirring her tea and accepting a kiss from Fred when he appeared beside the table.

Harry glowered at her. “Comments like that is why you’re a nuisance,” he said.

Sarah beamed at him. “You love me for it.”

Harry’s glower dropped and he fought back a smile.

“Shut up…” he muttered bemusedly.

After breakfast, Sarah dragged Harry and Draco away into the living room, shouting over her shoulder that they had some things they needed to do at her Manor and would be back tomorrow morning. She then shoved them through the Floo and they disappeared in a whirl of ash and smoke.

“I hate it when she does that,” coughed Draco as they dusted themselves off in the Manor’s sitting room.

Sarah and then Fred appeared through the fire and Harry turned toward them.

“A little warning next time would be nice,” he said, unimpressed.

Sarah shrugged. “You would’ve had plenty of warning had you woken up earlier.”

“So, what are we doing here?” Draco asked, resting his elbow on Harry’s shoulder. “I’m guessing you don’t actually have anything for us to do?”

Sarah grinned mischievously at them.

“Nope!” she said gleefully. “I just wanted some alone time with Fred and thought you two might appreciate not sleeping with Ron’s snoring ruining the mood.”

“Oh my – “ Draco started, gaping at the other girl.

“Draco, your old room is free. Help yourself to whatever you like,” Sarah said as she skipped toward the door, pulling Fred behind her. “Have fun!” she sang, disappearing from view.

Harry and Draco blinked dumbly in the direction where the pair had exited.

“Is she seriously suggesting that we have sex while we know that they’re somewhere having sex?” Harry asked in disbelief.

Draco hummed and smirked. “Sarah’s never really been shy about these things,” he grinned. “Anyway, are you really going to say no to sex?”

Harry stared at Draco in shock. He simply raised an eyebrow.

When Harry still didn’t make any comment, Draco waved a hand and said, “Well, if that’s what you want, I’ll be in the library.”

It wasn’t until he began to walk away that Harry processed his words.

“Draco – wait!”

Draco laughed and hurried away, racing up various sets of staircases and disappearing through a large door. Harry rushed after him in a barely restrained way.

When he stepped through the door, it closed behind him and Draco pushed him up against the wood, kissing him hungrily.

“I am – very, _very_ glad – that we are – alone – “ Draco said as he pressed kisses up and down Harry’s neck.

He couldn’t help but groan and pull Draco closer to his body. Draco manoeuvred a hand in between them and palmed the front of Harry’s jeans, causing him to groan again and drop his head onto Draco’s shoulder.

“Bed – now – “ panted Draco, pulling back despite Harry’s sad sound. He tugged until Harry started moving and the pair of them collapsed upon Draco’s large bed, the silk sheets enveloping them as they began to shed their clothing quickly.

“Wait a second – “ Draco gasped. He rolled off Harry and to the side, reaching into the bedside table and grabbing a small bottle.

Harry rested his head against the pillows as Draco began to prepare him slowly, gently pushing his fingers in and out in stretching motions. Harry pulled Draco up to kiss him as Draco slowly entered him, both of them moaning into each other’s mouths.

“Fuck, Draco,” groaned Harry. He slid one hand up into Draco’s hair and held the strands tightly as Draco began to move, thrusting back and forth, gradually gaining in speed.

Draco dropped his head to mouth at Harry’s neck as a hand snaked between their bodies, grasping Harry’s erection and beginning to move up and down in time to his thrusts.

Harry groaned loudly and closed his eyes, moving his hips in time with Draco. Pants and gasps filled the room as they both quickly rushed towards completion.

“I’m going to – “ gasped Draco, speeding up his hand.

Harry barely bit out a warning before he was coming between them, his body shaking with shudders of pleasure. Draco let out a low sound and stiffened, holding Harry close as his own orgasm hit him. When his body had stopped trembling, he pulled out and collapsed limply beside Harry.

“Merlin, I missed that,” he sighed.

Harry nodded weakly and softly stroked a hand up and down Draco’s sweat-slick side.

“Can we just stay here the rest of the week?” he said.

“Sarah would let us if we asked,” Draco commented.

“But she’d never let us live it down,” Harry pointed out. “She’d make lewd comments at every available moment.”

“She’d only be asking for it in return,” said Draco. “We know exactly what she’s up to right now.”

Harry groaned but not in a good way. “Did you have to remind me? I’m literally lying here post-orgasm-bliss and you’re talking about our best friend shagging our other best friend’s brother.”

Draco laughed lightly. “When you put it like that, it is quite a mood-killer.”

He moved to lean slightly over Harry and smirked, his silver eyes bright.

“I think I can fix that, though,” he said, clambering on top of Harry again.

***

“So, think they got any sleep last night?” Sarah asked.

Fred snorted. “Let’s not talk about this at the breakfast table,” he requested. “Besides, it’s not like we got much sleep either,” he added with a leer. “I vividly remember you complaining about being tired before sliding down and giving me a blowjob – very contradictory.”

Sarah threw a bread roll at him.

Harry and Draco descended before Sarah had finished eating and she greeted them with a smirk.

“Had a good shag, did you boys?” she asked.

Harry blushed and avoided her and Fred’s eyes but Draco smiled widely at her.

“It was extremely enjoyable, yes,” he said, taking the seat beside Sarah. “You have no idea the things Harry can do with his – “

“And that is as much information as you’re sharing,” Harry said quickly, covering Draco’s mouth with his hand. When he was sure Draco wasn’t going to say anything else, he sat down beside Fred.

“Well, I’ll let you know that Sarah and I had a lovely lie-in this morning,” Fred grinned. “Of course, it was only because we went to bed _extremely_ early this morning.”

Harry dropped his head into his palms and groaned pitifully.

“Harry, you’ve been sleeping together for over a year, I have no idea why you’re so shy about it,” Sarah commented. “I mean, both your necks are entirely covered in hickeys. It’s not like you’re hiding anything from anyone.”

Harry’s hands flew to his neck and he prodded the bruises scattered up and down the tanned skin. “Any chance you can heal these for me before we go back the Burrow?” he asked. “I’d rather Mrs Weasley not see them.”

“Or Sirius and Remus,” Fred said. “They’d sit you down for another talk.”

“Don’t even mention that talk,” Draco warned. “I’m still scarred from the first one. I did _not_ need to be given that much detail.”

“What do you want to do today?” Harry asked, cutting off the inevitable retelling of Sirius’ sex talk.

Sarah hummed thoughtfully and fiddled with a piece of toast.

“I was thinking about going into Muggle London,” she said. “I want to go shopping.”

“Shopping?” Harry asked, frowning.

“Yes, shopping,” repeated Sarah, raising an eyebrow at him. “You know? That thing people do when they want to go buy things?”

“Yes, yes, I get it, shut up,” Harry grumbled. “So what are we going to do then, if you’re going shopping?”

Sarah smirked and rested her elbow on the table, placing her chin in her palm.

“Well, I think it’s only fair you two come with me and Fred,” she said smoothly. “Considering I did provide excellent hospitality. Besides,” she added when Harry and Draco both pouted. “you need haircuts – all three of you.”

All three boys continued to grumble and complain the entire trip to the hairdressers. Sarah pushed them all into chairs and smiled at the hairdressers waiting for them.

“Don’t mind them,” she said brightly. “They’ll stop complaining soon. Just neaten them up. Thanks.”

Sarah chatted amiably with the hairdressers as they snipped and cut the boys’ hair. Draco, Harry and Fred were sitting with identical disgruntled expressions, their arms crossed over their chest.

“Aw, don’t look so upset, babe,” Sarah cooed at Fred. “You look great.”

He huffed and scowled. “I still don’t know how I got roped into this.”

Sarah grinned a Cheshire cat smile. “Well, Draco and Harry _really_ needed haircuts and I couldn’t let them suffer alone.”

“They’d be suffering together!” Fred exclaimed, turning to look at her. His hairdresser tutted and Fred moved his head back into position. “Doesn’t mean _I_ have to get a haircut.”

“For Mer – goodness sake, Fred,” Sarah said, nearly slipping up with her curse, “it’s just a haircut! It’s not like I’m forcing you to give up your first-born child.”

His hairdresser snorted slightly and Sarah winked at him.

“You’re nearly done,” assured the hairdresser.

It was another half-hour until all three of them were finished. Harry kept moving his hand through the shorter top section and grimacing.

“This feels weird,” he said. “I also think it’s probably going to grow back by tomorrow but thanks anyway, Sarah.”

Sarah waved her hand dismissively. “You’ll be fine,” she said. She slipped her hand into Fred’s and admired his new shorter hair. “I like it,” she said decisively. “Very dashing.”

When they arrived in the Burrow that afternoon, laden down with various bags, Mrs Weasley and Hermione gushed over the boys’ haircuts.

“How did you manage that?” Hermione asked, tugging a lock of Draco’s hair.

“I offered,” Sarah said at the same time that Fred said, “Bribery”, Draco snorted, “Exploitation”, and Harry grumbled, “Manipulation.”

Sarah pouted as everyone in the living room laughed.


	2. Chapter Two

The next day, Sarah, Draco, Harry, Ron and Hermione all got an unexpected surprise.

They were sitting at the table in the Burrow’s kitchen, enjoying a hearty breakfast, when suddenly five owls flew in through the open window, dropped letters onto each of their plates and flew back the way they came.

“What are – oh,” Draco said, holding up the letter. His face paled slightly and he looked as if his last mouthful of toast had gotten stuck in his throat. “These are…”

“Our O.W.Ls,” Sarah said faintly.

“I forgot they were coming now!” shrieked Hermione. She reached forward and grabbed her letter, jumping from the table before ripping it open.

The other four scrambled around for their own and within seconds, Sarah was staring down in shock at her results.

“How’d you go?” she heard Ron ask Harry.

“Failed History and Divination, but went fine in everything else,” Harry replied.

Sarah dimly recognised the sound of crinkling paper as Ron taking Harry’s results.

“I knew you’d be top at Defense Against the Dark Arts,” Ron said excitedly.

“How’d you guys go?” Harry asked the others.

Sarah blinked and then stared up open-mouthed at Draco. Hermione had a similar look on her face.

“I – not bad,” said Hermione in a small voice.

“Oh, come off it,” said Ron, striding over to her and whipping her results out of her hand. “Yep – ten ‘Outstandings’ and one ‘Exceeds Expectations’ at Defense Against the Dark Arts.” He looked down at her, half-amused, half-exasperated. “You’re actually disappointed, aren’t you?”

Hermione shook her head weakly as Harry stepped up to Draco and Sarah. He held out his hands.

“If you’re not going to tell us, pass them over,” he said.

Draco wordlessly handed his results to Harry but Sarah just let out a great breath and said, “I got ‘Outstandings’ for everything…”

“So did Draco,” Harry said proudly. “You all did amazing!”

Sarah looked at Draco and large, identical smiles split their faces. They both laughed loudly at the same time and jumped, wrapping their arms around each other.

“We did it!” Draco exclaimed. “We’re N.E.W.T students now!”

“There was never any question about that,” Harry muttered fondly.

“Oh, congratulations, all you of,” Mrs Weasley cried, bustling into the room. “This calls for a special dinner. I’ll invite Remus and Sirius over. Oh, and Bill and the twins!”

She shuffled out of the room, beaming, muttering to herself as she went.

“Does that mean Bill will bring Fleur with him?” Ginny grumbled as they all trooped out into the backyard to fly.

“Fleur?” Sarah asked in confusion. “Why would he bring her?”

“Oh, right, you didn’t know,” Ginny said. “They’re getting married.”

“ _Married?_ ” exclaimed Sarah and Draco.

“That’s excellent!” Draco cried. “We’ll have to see if Viktor, Mila and Aleksander know.”

***

Dinner passed in a whirl of loud laughter, back-slapping hugs and proud tears from Mrs Weasley and Sirius. After that, it was a chaotic week of packing and getting ready for school.

Before they knew it, they were waving goodbye to Fred, George, Sirius, Remus and Mrs Weasley at platform nine and three-quarters as the train chugged away from the station.

“Can you believe that we only have two years left?” Ron asked as he slouched onto the bench in the compartment. “I mean, it feels like yesterday that we were shaking in our boots about to be Sorted.”

“For your information, I was wearing Parisian leather ballet flats, not boots,” Sarah said breezily as she laid her head in Ron’s lap.

“Of course, however, could I have mistaken that,” said Ron, rolling his eyes at her.

“But yes, in regards to your comment, Ron, it is strange,” Draco acknowledged, leaning back against Harry’s chest.

“To be fair, we have been quite preoccupied each year,” commented Harry.

“I don’t think our luck is going to get any better,” said Sarah wryly.

At that moment, the door opened to reveal Pansy, Blaise and Theo standing in the doorway.

“There you two are, good. I was beginning to worry you had gotten a compartment with the hag,” Pansy said sharply. She strode into the compartment and flopped down beside Sarah, placing Sarah’s feet in her lap.

“I’m guessing you failed to make progress this summer?” asked Sarah.

Pansy scoffed. “Darling, you know _exactly_ what happened this summer. You and Blaise even went out to grab popcorn.” She flicked Sarah’s feet and added, “Don’t think I have forgotten about that. I’ll dish out my revenge in due course.”

Blaise and Theo sat down in the free seats beside Hermione and rolled their eyes.

“Please, Pansy,” Blaise drawled. “If I had a Galleon for every time you threatened us and failed to deliver, I’d be richer than Draco.”

“Good luck achieving that,” scoffed Theo. “I don’t recall Pansy threatening us _that_ many times.”

“All of you can fuck off,” Pansy declared loudly. She turned to Hermione. “Hermione, darling, you are the only sane one here. Save me from their imbecilic ways.”

Hermione looked amused. “I have my hands full with Ron and Harry, unfortunately. You’re on your own.”

“Oi!” Ron exclaimed as the cabin descended into half-hearted arguments.

“Oh no!” Hermione exclaimed suddenly. “I forgot we have to patrol the corridors. Ron, Draco, Pansy, let’s go.”

Draco complaints could be heard echoing down the corridor as the four of them raced off to fulfil their prefect duties.

“Do you guys know who got Quidditch Captain?” asked Blaise once silence fell in the compartment again.

Sarah and Harry smiled smugly at each other.

“We both did,” Sarah revealed. “This year’s going to be interesting.”

“You’re not going to win,” declared Harry. He moved to the seat Sarah was solely occupying and laid down in her lap.

Sarah hummed in disagreement and ran her fingers through his hair. “We’ll see about that,” she said.

“Mighty big talk for someone surrounded by Slytherins,” Theo commented calmly to Harry. “I hope you can support that claim.”

“Oh definitely,” Harry assured. “I have great plans for the team this year.”

Sarah patted his face. “Less talking more sleeping,” she said, stifling a yawn. It was a few hours before Sarah and Harry were awoken by Draco, Ron, Hermione and Pansy’s re-entrance.

“Oi, sleepyheads, wake up,” Pansy said rudely, swatting their heads.

“What – oh, fuck off, Pans,” Sarah said groggily.

“Sorry, darling but you have somewhere to be,” Pansy announced. She presented Sarah with a small scroll of parchment.

Sarah frowned and opened it.

“Who the fuck is Slughorn?” she asked. She glanced around to see that Blaise and Harry had also gotten an invitation.

“New teacher,” Harry said. “He was the one that Dumbledore took me to see.”

“Oh,” replied Sarah. “I guess we ought to go then.”

***

Sarah groaned as she dropped into the seat beside Draco at the Slytherin table for the Welcoming Feast.

“How was Slughorn’s meeting?” he asked.

She just grunted and banged her head on the table a few times.

“That bad, huh?” Draco said in amusement, calmly picking up her shoulders so that she could no longer reach the wooden surface.

“He’s horrible,” exclaimed Sarah. “It was like I was trapped behind glass and being peered at by children.” Sarah shuddered violently. “He couldn’t stop talking about Harry and how he was ‘honoured to be teaching the Chosen One’. I swear Harry nearly stabbed him with a fork.”

“I would have loved to see that,” Draco commented.

“You didn’t miss much,” Blaise said. “Mainly Slughorn rambled on about familial connections and talents. It was extremely disconcerting.”

Sarah scoffed. “He went on and on about my grades but the minute I mentioned that you achieved the same, Draco, he clammed up and ignored me the rest of the time.

“Probably doesn’t really like associating with Death Eaters,” Draco muttered bitterly.

“Yeah, well fuck him,” Sarah said savagely. “I don’t want to be a part of his _Slug Club_.”

“Slug Club?” Draco laughed. “That’s the worst name I’ve ever heard.”

“Yes, well, it’s apparently meant to ensure we make connections with our peers that will benefit us in the future,” Blaise explained. “Rather stupid but I guess one of us has to make an appearance.”

Just then, Dumbledore stood up.

“Welcome back, everyone,” he announced brightly, opening his arms out to the students.

“What happened to his hand?” Pansy gasped.

She wasn’t the only one who noticed. Dumbledore’s right hand was blackened and dead-looking, as though a disease had killed it. Dumbledore also picked up on the student’s interest.

“Nothing to worry about,” he said airily. “Now…to our new students, welcome! And to our old ones, welcome back! Those who wish to play for their House’s Quidditch team, please give your names to your Heads of House. It is also my pleasure to announce that Professor Slughorn has agreed to resume his old post as Potions master.”

“Potions?”

“ _Potions?”_

Sarah gaped up at the staff table as the word echoed all across the Great Hall.

“Professor Snape, meanwhile,” continued Dumbledore, “will be taking over the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.”

***

The next morning at breakfast found Sarah and Draco the source of numerous whispers and staring.

“What’s going on?” Draco asked slowly. “Did I forget to heal a hickey or something?”

Blaise’s eyes lit up and he opened his mouth to make a presumably crude comment but Theo cut him off.

“You’re fine Draco,” he said. “They’re staring at you two because of what happened at the Ministry last year. Also, because they know you’re close to Harry who’s the famous ‘Chosen One’.”

Sarah and Draco shared a grimace.

“That’s a horrible nickname,” Sarah stated. She noticed a group of first years gaping at them, one of their hands raised. “It’s rude to point,” she snapped at them. The boy who had his hand flushed a bright scarlet and scuttled away, bumping into multiple students as he went.

“I love being a sixth year,” Sarah sighed. “Everyone is scared of us, it’s delightful.”

“You are a truly worrying specimen,” Blaise commented dryly as they sat down at the table.

Snape descended upon their group and handed them their timetables.

“Congratulations on getting the Defense job, sir,” Theo said politely to him.

“Thank you, Nott,” Snape said quietly, his lips curling in an approximation of a smile. Sarah noticed that Draco refused to meet his eye, leaving the professor looking slightly dejected.

Blaise let out a small whoop when Snape had walked away.

“Look,” he said, pointing at his timetable. “We even get free periods!”

Sarah scoffed and said, “ _You_ get free periods. I’m still doing nine subjects.”

“ _Nine_?” cried Blaise, taking her timetable. “Sarah, you only dropped _one_ subject!”

“Actually, I dropped two, I just picked up Alchemy,” she corrected. “Huh, looks like Snape did find enough people who wanted to do Alchemy.” She peeked over at Draco’s schedule and beamed. “Brilliant! Guess you’re stuck with me.”

He rolled his eyes. “Alchemy is very beneficial to Potions,” he drawled.

Theo stood up. “We should get going if we don’t want to be late for class,” he said.

They all split up; Draco and Sarah going to Ancient Runes and Blaise and Theo to Care of Magical Creatures.

After Runes was their first Defense Against the Dark Arts class with Snape. They met Harry and Ron, both of whom had had a free period.

“We got so much homework for Runes,” Sarah complained as they waited outside the classroom. “A fifteen-inch essay, two translations and we’ve got to read _these_ ,” she hefted her armful of heavy books, “by Wednesday.”

“Shame,” yawned Ron.

“Thank you for your kind words of encouragement, Ronald,” drawled Sarah.

The classroom door opened as she spoke, and Snape stepped into the corridor, his sallow face framed as every by two curtains of greasy black hair. Silence fell over the queue immediately.

“Inside,” he said.

Sarah looked around as they entered. Snape had imposed his personality upon the room already; it was gloomier than usual, as curtains had been drawn over the windows, and was lit by candlelight. New pictures adorned the walls, many of them showing people who appeared to be in pain, sporting grisly injuries or strangely contorted body parts. Nobody spoke as they settled down, looking around at the shadowy, gruesome pictures.

“I have not asked you to take out your books,” said Snape, closing the door and moving to face the class from behind his desk; Hermione hastily dropped her copy of _Confronting the Faceless_ back into her bag and stowed it under her chair. “I wish to speak to you, and I want your fullest attention.”

His black eyes roved over their upturned faces, lingering for a fraction of a second longer on Harry’s than anyone else’s.

“You have had five teachers in this subject so far, I believe.”

Sarah raised her eyebrows slightly at Draco. Snape knew _exactly_ how teachers they had had – he had hated every single one of them.

“Naturally, these teachers will all have had their own methods and priorities. Given this confusion, I am surprised so many of you scraped an O.W.L in this subject. I shall be even more surprised if all of you manage to keep up with the N.E.W.T work, which will be much more advanced.”

Snape set off around the edge of the room and began lecturing about the nature of the Dark Arts. He was oddly fond in the way he spoke about them, gesturing towards the gruesome pictures depicting various results of curses or Dark magic.

“Now…” he said at the end, “you are, I believe, complete novices in the use of nonverbal spells. What is the advantage of a nonverbal spell?”

Hermione’s hand immediately shot into the air, followed, rather reluctantly, by Draco’s and Sarah’s. Draco and Snape seemed to have a silent battle with their eyes before Snape sighed in a world-weary way and said, “Very well – Miss Granger?”

“Your adversary has no warning about what kind of magic you’re about to perform,” said Hermione, “which gives you a split-second advantage.”

“An answer copied almost word for word from _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Six_ ,” said Snape dismissively (over in the corner Crabbe snickered), “but correct in essentials. Yes, those who progress to using magic without shouting incantations gain an element of surprise in their spellcasting. Not all wizards can do this, of course; it is a question of concentration and mind power which some” – his gaze lingered maliciously on Harry once more – “lack.”

Draco frowned at the professor.

“You will now divide,” Snape went on, “into pair. One partner will attempt to jinx the other _without speaking_. The other will attempt to repel the jinx _in equal silence_. Carry on.”

Sarah stood up, intending to work with Draco when suddenly a hand shot out and dragged her away by the collar.

“What - ?”

“You’re working with me,” Pansy announced, still pulling Sarah bodily across the classroom. Snape looked at them curiously but chose not the comment. Sarah saw Draco gaping at them before Harry got his attention, leading him away to another corner.

“Okay, sure,” Sarah said, knowing it was just best not to argue. “Can I inquire as to why?”

Pansy scowled. It was truly terrifying. “Well, Blaise and Theo paired up together, the wankers, and that leaves me with no one suitable who I can actually tolerate. I knew that you and Draco would be perfectly fine without partnering together because he’ll just go with his boyfriend and the other Gryffindors will schmoozy with each other.”

“ _Schmoozy_?” Sarah repeated.

“Shut up and jinx me,” Pansy order.

Sarah mock saluted and turned to face the other girl. All around them, pairs were staring at each other with intense looks of concentration. Ron was purple in the face, lips pressed tightly together as he pointed his wand at Harry.

“Let’s hope we don’t look as idiotic as that,” Pansy smirked, following Sarah’s eyeline.

Sarah snorted and raised her wand.

She took a deep breath and concentrated on repeating the incantation for the Stinging Hex in her head.

“What are you waiting for?” Pansy asked, tapping a finger impatiently on her dark wand. “A written invitation? That may be slightly difficult considering I don’t currently have any quill or parchment on me – “

Sarah sighed in frustration and focused on the feeling of her magic, visualising it spreading through her and out of her wand. For added benefit, she also pictured the Stinging Hex hitting Pansy squarely on the head.

To her utter delight, a jet of light shot out of her wand and hit Pansy, who squealed and swore loudly, attracting the attention of Snape and the other students.

“A little warning would have been nice!” cried Pansy, rubbing her face. “I can’t believe you aimed for my _face_!”

Sarah twirled her wand in her fingers. “Don’t be such a cow then,” she smirked.

“Excellent, Miss Deaumont,” Snape said. “Ten points to Slytherin. And Miss Parkinson, might I remind you that you are supposed to be practising nonverbal incantations, _not_ profanity.”

“Sorry, sir,” Pansy called.

“Pathetic, Weasley,” said Snape, after a while. Ron and Harry were working together while Draco had partnered with Hermione. So far, Ron hadn’t managed anything other than a high-pitched whistling noise as he tried his hardest not to mutter the incantation. “Here – let me show you – “

He turned his wand on Harry so fast that Harry seemed to react instinctually; he yelled, “ _Protego_!”

His Shield Charm was so strong Snape was knocked off-balance and hit a desk. The whole glass looked around and now watched as Snape righted himself, scowling. Draco was gaping from beside Hermione.

“Do you remember me telling you we are practising _nonverbal_ spells, Potter?” Snape said quietly.

“Yes,” said Harry stiffly.

“Yes, _sir_.”

“There’s no need to call me ‘sir’, Professor.”

Sarah felt like she had been slapped. She stared, open-mouthed at Harry as his face paled and his green eyes widened. Yep, he most definitely had _not_ meant to say that. Draco looked as if he had been hit by a Bludger. Several people gasped, including Hermione. Behind Snape, however, Ron, Seamus, Dean and Blaise smiled.

“Detention, Saturday night, my office,” said Snape. “I do not take cheek from anyone, Potter…not even ‘ _the Chosen One’._ ”

By the end of the lesson, Draco, Hermione, Sarah and surprisingly Theo were all able to consistently cast simple jinxes and Shield Charms nonverbally. Pansy and Blaise were particularly disgruntled by their lack of progress.

“Tell me one more time how you did it?” Blaise said for the umpteenth time at lunch. “All the details.”

Sarah groaned and hit her head against the table, two thuds indicating that Draco and Theo had done the same.

Harry and Ron had stormed off as soon as class had ended, Hermione scuttling after them with exasperated glances at Sarah and Draco.

“Shouldn’t you be consoling your boyfriend or something?” drawled Pansy, leaning across Sarah to address Draco.

“I’ll talk to him later,” Draco said dismissively, eyeing the Gryffindor table where Harry was angrily stabbing a piece of roast piece. “Let him cool down a bit…”

Their first Potions lesson was that afternoon. To Sarah and Draco’s surprise, Harry and Ron trooped into the corridor before they entered the classroom.

“What are you doing here?” Draco asked, giving Harry a peck on the cheek. Harry’s disgruntled expression smoothed.

“McGonagall said that Slughorn would let us attend the class even though we got ‘Exceeds Expectations’ in our O.W.Ls,” Harry explained.

“But you don’t have any equipment…?” Sarah pointed out.

Ron shrugged.

There were only about a dozen students progressing to N.E.W.T level. Four Slytherins, including Sarah and Draco, four Ravenclaws, three Gryffindors and one Hufflepuff. The door opened and Slughorn’s belly preceded him out of the door. As they filed into the room, his great walrus moustache curved above his beaming mouth, and he greeted Harry, Blaise and Sarah with particular enthusiasm.

The dungeon was, most unusually, already full of vapours and odd smells. Sarah, Draco, Harry, Ron and Hermione sniffed interestedly as they passed large, bubbling cauldrons. Sarah took a table with Draco, Blaise and Theo while Harry, Ron and Hermione sat with Ernie Macmillan. A gold cauldron close to Sarah was emitting one of the most seductive scents Sarah had ever inhaled. It smelt like crisp apples, the scent of old books, and a familiar cologne. Sarah felt herself blush a deep scarlet when she realised she was smelling Fred’s cologne. She turned to look at Draco and saw that he too, was flushed a bright pink. He was blinking quite quickly and kept shooting looks at Harry, who in turn, was glancing back at Draco in slight confusion.

“Now then, now then, now then,” said Slughorn, whose massive outline was quivering through the man shimmering vapours. “Scales out, every, and potion kits, and don’t forget your copies of _Advanced Potion-Making_ …”

Harry and Ron went up to collect their borrowed equipment as Sarah dragged Draco’s attention away from the intoxicating potion.

“It’s Amortentia,” he said in a slightly dreamy voice. Sarah flicked his nose and his eyes cleared. He grimaced and scrunched up his nose. “Well, that was embarrassing.”

Blaise smirked and suddenly called, “Hey, Potter! Do you smell something?”

Harry frowned from across the room and turned to Ron, who shrugged. “Why?”

“Humour me,” Blaise said with a winning smile.

Harry rolled his eyes but said, “I really don’t know what you’re trying to achieve Blaise but if it’s so important, I smell treacle tart and a broomstick handle.”

“Anything else?” wheedled Blaise, smirking widely.

Harry blushed slightly. “Piss off, Blaise,” he muttered.

“Ha!” said Blaise triumphantly. He turned to Draco and hit him in the shoulder. “He definitely smells you, mate. How does it feel to be in _love_ ,” he sang. He made kissy faces at them both as Sarah and Ron laughed.

“Settle down now,” called Slughorn jovially. “I see you noticed the interesting aroma coming from that cauldron.”

“Slightly hard to miss, really…” muttered Sarah under her breath. Theo snorted and quickly covered it with a cough.

“Can anyone tell me what this one is?”

He indicated the cauldron nearest the Ravenclaw table. Sarah raised herself slightly in her seat and saw what looked like plain water boiling away inside it.

Hermione and Draco’s well-practised hands hit the air before anybody else’s. Slughorn pointed at Hermione.

“It’s Veritaserum, a colourless, odourless potion that forces the drinker to tell the truth,” said Hermione.

“Very good, very good!” said Slughorn happily. “Now,” he continued, pointing to the cauldron nearest the Harry, Ron and Hermione, “this one here is pretty well known…Featured in a few Ministry leaflets lately too…Who can - ?”

Harry’s hand actually went up this time and Sarah smirked at the proud look on Draco’s face.

“Harry, m’boy!” cried Slughorn. “What’s the name of that one?”

“Polyjuice Potion, sir,” Harry said, smirking at Ron and Hermione. He sent a wink across in Sarah and Draco’s direction and they rolled their eyes.

“Excellent, excellent! Now, this one here…yes, my dear?” said Slughorn, pointing at Sarah.

“Amortentia, sir,” she said coolly.

“Indeed it is. It seems almost foolish to ask, but I assume you know what it does?”

“It’s a powerful love potion,” Sarah answered. “It creates a feeling of intense infatuation or obsession in the receiver for the giver.”

“Quite right! You recognised it, I suppose, by its distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen?”

“Actually, Draco recognised it by that and the smell,” Sarah stated, leaning back in her chair. “I simply put my hand up before he did.”

Slughorn looked slightly put-out for a moment before he cleared his throat and said uncomfortably, “Well, yes, very good, Mr Malfoy…Now, it’s time for us to start work.”

“Sir, you haven’t told us what’s in this one,” said Ernie Macmillan, pointing at a small black cauldron standing on Slughorn’s desk. The potion within was splashing about merrily; it was the colour of molten gold, and large drops were leaping like goldfish above the surface, though not a droplet had spilt.

“Oho,” said Slughorn. Sarah was sure that Slughorn had not forgotten the potion at all, but had waited to be asked for dramatic effect. “Yes. That. Well, _that_ one, ladies and gentlemen, is a most curious little potion called Felix Felicis. I take it,” he turned, smiling to look at Hermione, who had let out an audible gasp, “that you know what Felix Felicis does, Miss Granger?”

“It’s liquid luck,” said Hermione excitedly. “It makes you lucky!”

The whole class seemed to sit up a little straighter.

“Quite right, take ten points for Gryffindor. Yes, it’s a funny little potion, Felix Felicis,” said Slughorn. “Desperately tricky to make, and disastrous to get wrong. However, if brewed correctly, as this has been, you will find that all your endeavours tend to succeed…at least until the effects wear off.”

He gazed dreamily into the distance.

“And that,” said Slughorn, apparently coming back to earth, “is what I shall be offering as a prize in this lesson.”

There was a silence in which every bubble and gurgle of the surrounding potions seemed magnified tenfold.

“One tiny bottle of Felix Felicis,” said Slughorn, taking a minuscule glass bottle with a cork in it out of his pocket and showing it to them all. “Enough for twelve hours’ luck. From dawn till dusk, you will be lucky in everything you attempt. We have little over an hour left to us, which should be enough time for you to make a decent attempt at the Draught of Living Death. I know it is more complex than anything you have attempted before, and I dot not expect a perfect potion from anybody. The person who does best, however, will win little Felix here. Off you go!”

There was a scraping noise as everyone drew their cauldrons toward them and some loud clunks as people began adding weights to their scales, but nobody spoke. The concentration within the room was almost tangible. Draco’s usually smooth blond hair had begun to curl slightly in the steam rising from his cauldron. The hour passed quickly, with everybody working feverishly to complete the potion to their greatest ability.

“And time’s…up!” called Slughorn. “Stop stirring, please!”

Sarah sat back and pushed the loose strands of hair away from her face. She had been extremely close to finishing the potion. Draco set down his knife with a disappointed sigh.

“I only had the last step left,” he said miserably.

Slughorn moved slowly among the tables, peering into cauldrons. He made no comment, but occasionally gave the potions a stir or a sniff. At Draco’s cauldron, he paused, looking extremely surprised and slightly impressed. He moved on, however, to Harry’s table. He gave Hermione’s potion an approving nod. Then he saw Harry’s and a look of incredulous delight spread over his face.

“The clear winner!” he cried to the dungeon. “Excellent, excellent, Harry! Good lord, it’s clear you’ve inherited your mother’s talent. She was a dab hand at Potions, Lily was! Here you are, then, here you are – one bottle of Felix Felicis, as promised, and use it well!”

Harry slipped the tiny bottle of golden liquid into his inner pocket, smiling sheepishly at Draco and Sarah’s gobsmacked expressions.

Draco marched up to him as soon as the lesson ended and demanded, “How did you do that?”

“Got lucky, I suppose,” said Harry.

Draco glowered at him and slapped him lightly over the head.

“Bullshit,” he replied. “You’re shit at Potions. There’s no way you did better than Hermione, Sarah and me.”

Harry raised his hands slightly. “All right, all right. My textbook had extra notes in it and I followed them,” he explained.

“Hand it over,” Draco said, holding out his hand, palm up. Harry reluctantly dug his textbook out of his bag and placed it in Draco’s hand.

Draco immediately began to flick through it and Sarah leant over his shoulder to read it. Page after page was filled with minuscule writing cramped into the margins and dotted through the text, crossing out instructions and making edits.

Sarah whistled. “Damn, Harry, you might actually be able to improve your skills this year,” she said, glancing at the dark-haired boy.

He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “Hopefully.”

Draco frowned slightly at the writing. “This seems familiar for some reason but I can’t place why.” He turned back to Harry. “You should be careful using these instructions. Who knows what someone could add into the notes.”

Harry nodded and accepted the book back.

Hermione, however, snatched it from his hands and waved her wand over it.

“ _Specialis Revelio!”_ she said. Nothing happened. The book remained the same, looking old, dirty and dog-eared.

“Finished?” said Harry irritably. “Or d’you want to wait and see if it does a few backflips?”

“Don’t be rude,” chided Draco, slipping his hand into Harry’s.

The group made their way to dinner, where Jack Sloper, one of the Gryffindor Beaters from the previous year, handed Harry a tightly rolled scroll.

“It’s from Dumbledore,” Harry whispered, reading the scroll quickly. “He wants to start our private lessons Friday night.”

Sarah hummed in thought. “Did he ever fully explain what he wanted to teach you?” she asked.

Harry shook his head. “No, but apparently it has something to do with Voldemort.”

“Sounds fun,” drawled Sarah. She popped a strawberry in her mouth. “Why do they have fruit at dinner? Do you think the house-elves are trying to make a point?”

“As intriguing as that conversation will undoubtedly be,” drawled Snape’s low voice from above them. Sarah leant back to see Snape standing beside the Gryffindor table, peering down at them. “Miss Deaumont, I have had several people sign up for Quidditch trials. I expect you to organise them for this weekend.” He handed her a long slip of parchment.

“Thank you, sir,” she said politely, scanning the list. “Wait, half of these people don’t even play Quidditch.” She looked closer at the list. “They’re not even in Slytherin!”

Snape smirked. “That is now your concern, Sarah,” he said. “Draco, Professor Slughorn spoke about your potion today. Well done.”

“I didn’t even finish it,” Draco said stiffly.

“Regardless,” Snape said. “It was one of the best potions he had seen in a while.”

“Thank you, sir,” replied Draco. “Was that all?”

Snape gazed down at Draco with a slightly pained expression.

“Draco…”

“Was that all, sir?” Draco interrupted.

Immediately, Snape’s expression hardened and he stepped away.

“Yes,” Snape said tersely. He spun around and stalked off.

“What happened between you two?” Ron asked, munching loudly on a chicken drumstick. He yelped loudly as Hermione kicked him under the table. “What?” he asked, rubbing his shin.

“You’re so insensitive!” she hissed.

Draco laughed and waved his hand, dismissively, “It’s okay, Hermione,” he said. “Severus and I just had a disagreement last year. I said that until he starts acting like an adult, I want nothing to do with me.” Harry gripped his hand tightly and smiled slightly at Draco. “So far I have yet to see any evidence of him trying,” Draco went on, smirking.

“Well, let’s eat,” declared Sarah. “Then we ought to go to the library.”

Harry and Ron groaned.


	3. Chapter Three

Nonverbal spells were now expected not only in Defense Against the Dark Arts but also in Charms and Transfiguration, too. Their workload was also increasing substantially. Already, Sarah was beginning to feel the strain of her extra courses. Not only was she doing more subjects than even Draco and Hermione, she was also working on her Healer apprenticeship with Madam Pomfrey and working on her Alchemy research. It turned out that Snape had gotten permission for her and Draco to do the course separately during one of the free periods, only a single Ravenclaw joined them. By the end of the first week, Draco pulled her away from her massive pile of books and notes and looked her sternly in the eye.

“You can’t keep going like this,” he said seriously. “You need to drop some classes.”

“I can’t!” cried Sarah, wringing her hands together. “All my classes are important!”

“What about Astronomy?” suggested Draco. “You don’t need that for Healing or your research. If you drop it, you’ll get your Wednesday and Friday nights back. You need to put time aside for Quidditch practice as well. If you keep going at the rate you are, you’ll burn out before the Christmas holidays.”

Sarah sighed deeply and sagged in Draco’s arms. He held her tightly and rubbed up and down her back comfortingly. When she pulled back, she took in a deep breath.

“Okay,” Sarah said, nodding to herself. “I’ll talk to Snape tomorrow. I might even consider dropping History of Magic,” she continued sadly. “If I want to learn anything I can also use the Manor’s libraries.”

Draco smiled down at her. “Good idea,” he said brightly. “Maybe that way you’ll actually get some sleep this month.”

Sarah smiled at him in return.

“I’m good now,” she assured him, leaning back within the circle of his arms. “Thanks for talking some sense into me.”

“Anytime, darling,” Draco replied. “I’d be failing as your better half if I didn’t stop you from your self-destructive habits.”

“Oi!” she said, laughing at him.

“You need to go to sleep,” Draco decided. “Bed, now.”

***

“I’m going to kill them, I’m going to _fucking kill them_ ,” Sarah muttered angrily as she stared out at the large group of people talking loudly on the Quidditch pitch. Pansy, who was standing beside her with her arms crossed, snorted in amusement.

Sarah put her wand to her throat, muttered, “ _Sonorus,”_ and then yelled, “Oi! If you’d all kindly _shut the fuck up!”_

Immediately, the chatter died and everyone turned to look toward Sarah, who stared them all down.

“Good,” she said, removing the charm. “Now, anybody who isn’t in Slytherin or _actually_ allowed to play, get the fuck off my pitch.” Giggling groups of students darted to the exit and Sarah saw Pansy give them a sarcastic little wave.

“All right,” Sarah stated. “Split into groups. I want Keepers over there, Beaters here, Chasers go there. Now, you’re going to be running some drills. I’ve called in some help to see what you’re made of.” She smirked as Ginny, Harry, Katie Bell, Draco, and Ron stepped up behind her. “Don’t let their appearance fool you, they’re quite nasty when they want to be.”

“Oi!” said Ron, leaning on his broomstick. “We can always walk away.”

“No, you can’t,” disagreed Sarah without looking at him. “I have too much blackmail on you.” She turned back to the waiting groups. “When I call out your name, get in the air. You’ll have fifteen minutes to prove whether I should pick you for the team or not. We need new Beaters, a Keeper and two Chasers.”

“What about a Seeker?” someone shouted.

“If we needed a Seeker, I’d have mentioned that,” Sarah said coolly, raising an eyebrow. “Chasers first. Michaels, Brady, Laurens, you’re up!”

The three Chaser candidates hopped onto their brooms and into the air, Ginny flying up behind them. Sarah barely contained her grimace as she watched them fail to catch and pass the Quaffle.

“Kinkade, Simons, Mackinnon! Go up with Draco!” barked Sarah. Harry walked up to her and rested his elbow on her shoulder.

“This is going well,” he commented, smirking slightly.

“Oh shut up,” she muttered. “I only have to find two Chasers, thank Merlin.”

“Will you go up and test the ones you think will be best?” Harry asked. He was watching Draco peg the Quaffle repeatedly at the students, only one of them was managing to catch it and throw it back.

“If we get that far…” winced Sarah. “Michaels, you’re supposed to be aiming for their hands not their faces!”

She sighed deeply.

“Ginny, bring them down,” she called. “Phillips, Beauregard, Smith, your turn with Katie. And this time, could someone _please_ actually _catch_ the Quaffle?”

She turned to Ron.

“Can you take Mackinnon, Kinkade and Laurens with you to practice shooting goals?” she asked.

“Sure thing, Captain,” Ron said. “Shall I let them get a few in to bolster confidence? The poor souls look like they’re about to wet themselves.”

Sarah showed him her middle finger as he walked away laughing.

“Harry, I know you suck at Chasing but you’re a good flyer, can you take those four up with you to practice their Beating?” Sarah pointed at the small group huddled to the side. She was surprised to see Millicent standing there. “Don’t let them knock you out. Or the others,” she added, eyeing the flying groups.

Harry grinned and walked over to them, gesturing at the bats and Bludgers waiting to be released.

Sarah spent the next hour barking orders at them, shooing people away when they dismally failed to complete simple tasks. All the while, Pansy smirked beside her and at one point, offered her a flask of suspicious liquid.

“Just drink it,” she tempted. “Pick of a pick-me-up. You look like you need it.”

At that moment, a stray Bludger mishit from one of the candidates flew passed Sarah’s ear and smashed into the locker room wall.

Sarah took the flask.

Another hour passed before Sarah finally called it quits. She had been up in the air doing drills with the promising Chasers while Draco did drills with the Beaters and Keepers.

“Okay, thanks everyone for coming,” she called as the remaining students settled on the ground. There were only seven people left. Draco, Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Katie landed behind Sarah and leant up against the locker rooms. “I’ll let you know by Monday who made it or not and practices will be scheduled afterwards.”

Slowly, the candidates trooped out of the pitch and Sarah collapsed on the ground, lying face up looking at the setting sky.

“I think they killed me,” she moaned. “They’ve succeeded in what even the Death Eaters couldn’t, who would have guessed.”

Draco and Harry laid down on either side of her.

“Maybe the Death Eaters should just hold mass tryouts to defeat us,” Harry suggested, grunting when Ron kicked his leg.

“Thanks for helping guys,” Sarah said, looking upside down at Katie, Pansy and Ginny behind her. “I probably would have killed someone.”

“Still might,” Pansy smirked. “I think you’ll have your work cut out for you.”

Sarah groaned pitifully. “At least I’ll have Draco beside me,” she said, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

He scoffed. “Nope, none of this is my problem,” he said, grinning widely.

Sarah gasped loudly. Clutching a hand to her heart, she rolled over and pouted up at him.

“You wouldn’t leave me to face these terrors all on my lonesome?” she cried.

Draco simply hummed slightly, his lips twitching up slightly.

She shifted so that her arms rested on his chest. “Do not forsake me, my love!” She propped her chin on her palms and said in a sweet voice, “You leave me to deal with them alone and I’ll make your life so difficult you’ll never be able to be truly happy again.”

Draco’s eyes widened and he looked slightly panicked.

“Love you,” sang Sarah, kissing Draco’s cheek.

“Dinner is about to start, lovelies,” announced Ginny.

Sarah sighed and dropped her head onto Draco’s chest, causing him to grunt suddenly.

“I’m too tired, someone carry me,” Sarah requested, her words muffled by Draco’s uniform.

Someone laughed above her and she felt two sets of hands lift her bodily off Draco.

The seven of them made their way back up to the castle and fell heavily into seats at the Gryffindor table.

“Tough tryouts?” Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow at them.

Ron snorted and looked at where Sarah was lying facedown on the table.

“Yeah, I’d say that,” he said.

“I’m not really looking forward to ours tomorrow after that,” Harry commented. He was absently tracing patterns on the back of Draco’s hand and Sarah suddenly missed Fred. Mentally, she told herself that she needed to write in their shared notebook tonight.

“You’ll do fine, babe,” Draco assured, kissing Harry’s cheek.

“You’re so cute, you’re making me lonely,” Sarah complained. “I want cuddles.”

“There, there, darling,” Draco said, patting Sarah’s hand. “We can cuddle tonight.”

Dean, who had been walking past at that moment, stopped dead and looked at them oddly. He opened his mouth as if to ask a question then paused, shook his head, and continued walking.

Sarah held eye contact with Draco until Dean was out of earshot then burst in laughter.

“Honestly, how you two ever survived alone astounds me,” Hermione said, rolling her eyes at them.

***

“Did you hear that the Patil twins’ parents want them to go home?” Hermione suddenly said the next morning, looking toward the staff table. “Some students have already been withdrawn.”

“What!” said Ron, goggling at Hermione. “But Hogwarts is safer than their homes, bound to be! We’ve got Aurors and all those extra protective spells, and we’ve got Dumbledore!”

“I don’t think we’ve got him all the time,” Sarah said, following Hermione’s eyeline to the front table. “Haven’t you noticed? His seat’s been empty as often as Hagrid’s this past week.”

Harry, Draco and Ron looked up at the staff table. The headmaster’s chair was empty.

“I think he’s left the school to do something with the Order,” said Hermione in a low voice. “I mean…it’s all looking serious, isn’t it?”

Nobody answered, but Sarah knew they were all thinking the same thing. There had been a horrible incident two days before, when Hannah Abbott had been taken out of Herbology to be told her mother had been found dead. They had not seen Hannah since.

When they all left the Gryffindor table five minutes later to head down the Quidditch pitch, they passed Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. Sarah was unsurprised to see the two best friends whispering together, looking distressed. What did surprise her was that when Ron drew level with them, Parvati suddenly nudged Lavender, who looked around and gave Ron a wide smile. Ron blinked at her, then returned the smile uncertainly. His walk instantly became something more like a strut. Sarah resisted the temptation to laugh, but it was a close thing; Hermione, however, looked cold and distant all the way down to the stadium through the cool misty drizzle, and departed with Sarah and Draco to find a place in the stands without wishing Ron good luck.

As the same with the Slytherin trials, the Gryffindor ones took more of the morning. Half of Gryffindor House seemed to have turned up, from first who were nervously clutching a selection of the dreadful old school brooms, to seventh years who towered over the rest, looking coolly intimidating.

“Ugh, McLaggen is here,” Sarah said in disgust, her lip curling.

“Who?” Hermione asked, looking at the large, wiry-haired seventh year boy.

“Cormac McLaggen,” Sarah replied. “Harry, Blaise and I met him when we had lunch with Slughorn on the train. He’s vile.”

“What do you think he’s trying out for?” Draco said, leaning around Hermione.

Sarah observed the group, still quite massive despite Harry’s best attempts to cull it.

“Judging from Ron’s face, I’d say Keeper,” Sarah said, nodding her head toward where Ron was standing on the side, gripping his broom and looking angry and slightly ill.

Draco was watching intently as Harry began dividing the people into groups, shouting orders all the while.

Sarah checked that he wasn’t paying any attention to her and then poked Hermione in the side.

“What?” said Hermione curiously.

Sarah motioned for her to lower her voice and lean closer.

“Are you okay?” Sarah asked her.

“What do you mean?” Hermione said, frowning.

“I mean about Lavender and Ron…” Sarah replied hesitantly.

Immediately, Hermione’s face became suspiciously blank.

“I don’t care if someone is interested in Ron,” she said evenly.

“Hmm, sure,” said Sarah. “Hermione, I’m going to be blunt here. I know you and you looked about ready to hex Lavender when she smiled at Ron.”

“It wasn’t because she _smiled_ at Ron,” Hermione hissed.

Sarah sat back and pursed her lips. “It was because of how he reacted.”

Hermione nodded stiffly.

“Hermione…” Sarah said carefully, resting a gentle hand on the other girl’s arm. “If you’re interested in Ron you’re going to have to be honest and tell him. He’s never going to realise it on his own.”

Hermione turned her narrowed brown eyes onto Sarah.

“Sarah, I love you, but please let me deal with this by myself,” Hermione said in a tired voice. “Honestly, I have a lot more to deal with than just boy issues.”

Sarah nodded but gripped Hermione’s hand tightly. “If you want to talk, at all, remember I’ll be here.”

Hermione smiled and held Sarah’s hand in return. “I know and I appreciate it.”

“Guys, the Keepers are about to start,” Draco said suddenly, not looking in their direction. Sarah suspected that he had heard the conversation but was being polite enough not to address it.

“That’s my final decisions and if you don’t get out of the way for the Keepers I’ll hex you,” Harry bellowed at the rejected Beaters.

“Who has he got so far?” Sarah asked Draco.

“Katie, Ginny and Demelza Robins for Chasers, Jimmy Peaks and Ritchie Coote for Beaters,” Draco listed as the five people in question climbed into the stands.

“I hope Ron’s fine with everyone watching,” Ginny said when she reached the trio. Sarah looked around the stands. All the rejected players and a number of people who had come down to watch after breakfast had joined the crowd now.

“Sarah, Harry’s waving at you,” Hermione said.

Sarah stood up to lean over the railing.

“What?” she shouted.

“Come here!” he yelled back. “You owe me!”

“Guess that’s my cue,” she said to the others, saluting them as she jumped over the railing.

“Sarah, what the fuck!” someone screeched above her as a broom came flying toward her. She caught it and swung her legs over, shooting toward Harry, who was gaping open-mouthed at her.

“Sup,” Sarah said, smirking as she hovered near Harry.

“What the fuck was that?” he shrieked, staring at her. “You jumped over the fucking railing!”

Sarah glanced back up to the stands where Draco, Hermione and Ginny were standing, staring at her in complete shock. She sent them a little wave.

“Just something I’ve been practising,” replied Sarah. “So, what’s the plan boss?”

Harry shook his head slowly and pointed at where the Keepers were waiting below the goalposts.

“Er – give them everything you’ve got,” he said eventually.

“Roger that,” she said, accepting the Quaffle he passed her. She flew up to the goalposts and said with a shit-eating grin, “Who’s first, boys?”

None of the first five applicants saved more than two goals apiece. To Sarah’s great disappointment, Cormac McLaggen saved four penalties out of five. On the last one, however, he shot off in completely the wrong direction; the crowd laughed and booed and McLaggen returned to the ground grinding his teeth.

Ron looked ready to pass out as he mounted his Cleansweep Eleven. “Good luck!” cried a voice from the stands. Sarah looked around, half expecting to see Hermione, but it was Lavender Brown. Sarah winced as turned back to Ron, who looked extremely confident.

“Ron, please don’t fuck this up,” Sarah muttered to him as he positioned himself in front of the goalposts.

But she need not have worried: Ron saved all five of her throws in a row. The crowd cheered and Sarah flew toward Ron, wrapping him in a headlock and ruffling his hair. It was quite difficult considering that he was still much taller than her.

The pair of them flew back to the ground, just catching the tail end of Harry’s conversation with McLaggen.

“Deaumont didn’t really try,” said McLaggen menacingly. There was a vein pulsing in his temple like Professor Snape sometimes had. “She gave him an easy save.”

“Rubbish,” said Harry coldly. “Sarah is ruthless when it comes to goals.”

McLaggen took a step nearer Harry, who stood his ground.

“Give me another go.”

“No,” said Harry. “You’ve had your go. You saved four. Ron saved five. Ron’s Keeper, he won it fair and square. Get out of my way.”

Sarah thought for a moment that McLaggen might punch Harry, but he contented himself with an ugly grimace and stormed away, growling what sounded like threats to thin air.

Sarah and Ron dropped beside Harry and he turned around to beam at Ron.

“Well done,” he croaked. “You flew really well – “

“You did brilliantly, Ron!”

This time it really was Hermione running toward them from the stands. Sarah saw Lavender walking off the pitch, arm in arm with Parvati, a rather grumpy expression her face. Ron looked extremely pleased with himself and even taller than usual as he grinned at the team and at Hermione.

“ _Sarah Evelyn Deaumont_!”

“Uh shit,” sighed Sarah, turning to face Draco as he stomped his way toward her. His silver eyes were flaming and he looked positively murderous. He stopped in front of her and Sarah waited.

“You – you – “ Draco was so angry that he could barely form words. “You _jumped off the stands without a broom!”_

“I summoned the broom…” she muttered weakly.

Draco’s eyes flashed.

“ _After_ you jumped over the railing!”

“Well…technically yes…” Sarah murmured.

“What if it hadn’t have worked?”

Other people were now watching in interest as Draco paced in front of her, throwing his hands in the air occasionally.

“What if you had failed to summon the broom? You did it nonverbally! Merlin, I didn’t even see your wand – “

“ – I was holding my wand – “

“ – What if it was a second too late? You could’ve hurt yourself. How did you even learn that? When? Where? _Why?_ Oh, Merlin, I am so angry with you right now I would throttle you if I didn’t like you so much. Son a bitch – Merlin’s saggy tits – You complete _idiot_ – “

Sarah waited patiently while Draco continued his rant, slowly dissolving into nonsensical cuss words and phrases.

“You done yet?” she asked after a few minutes.

“Oh no I am not!” he cried, turning on her again. He pointed a finger at her. “Never, _ever_ do _anything_ like that again!”

“Draco, _I’m fine_!” said Sarah. “Look, I’ve been practising that with Sirius all holidays. Sure, there were a few times where it didn’t go so well but that’s not the point!” she cried as Draco’s eyes flashed again. “The point is, I’ll be more careful in the future and I’ll warn you so I don’t give you a premature heart attack.”

“Thank you!” Draco exclaimed. He stopped pacing and dropped his arms. “I’m done now.”

“Good, you were scaring the first years,” drawled Sarah.

Draco looked up to see most of the crowd looking down at him, some amused, some worried.

“They all need a healthy dose of fright once in a while,” Draco said, straightening his sleeves. He turned to Harry. “Are you done here? I’ve had a fright and need some comfort from my boyfriend.” He shot a glare at Sarah.

Harry smirked and turned to his team. They finalised a date for the first practice and then Harry strode up to Draco, took his hand and led him away.

“That’s not the way to the castle,” Sarah called tauntingly after them as Harry led Draco to the locker rooms.

“We know!” they called back.

Sarah laughed loudly as said to the others, “They won’t be back for a while. Let’s head up.”

***

At lunch, Sarah turned down another of Slughorn’s dinner parties.

“So sorry, sir but I’ve got – er – an Alchemy practical that I really can’t avoid.”

“Surely, Professor Snape would understand!” Slughorn cried. “I’ll go talk to him after dinner.”

“Er – It’s quite important for my studies,” Sarah lied. “Loads of credit, you know?”

“Very well, very well,” boomed Slughorn. “Next time then!”

“Absolutely,” said Sarah, lying through her teeth.

When Slughorn had disappeared, Sarah turned to Blaise and muttered, “No fucking way.”

Blaise laughed and tugged her to the Slytherin table.

“Darling, you can’t avoid him forever,” he said fondly.

“I can try,” she replied darkly.

“Well, good luck,” he drawled. “Meanwhile, I’ll be suffering throughout the dinner without any tolerable company except for maybe Granger.” Blaise gave a long-suffering sigh. “Alas, I suppose I shall find a way to survive.”

“Blaise, your dramatics are putting me off my breakfast,” Pansy said loudly, cutting into their conversation. “And where is Draco? I need to go over my Charms notes with him.”

“He’s with Harry,” Sarah replied, sitting beside Theo and accepting a platter of bacon. “Apparently my stunt yesterday required _a lot_ of comforting.”

Theo snorted and barely restrained from spraying pumpkin juice across the table.

“I don’t think we’ll be seeing him until class,” Sarah continued, wrapping a few bacon rolls in napkins.

“Oh, what it would be like to have someone to waste away the morning with,” said Pansy wistfully.

“You could always go out and find someone?” suggested Blaise. “You know I’m always willing.”

“Once again, darling, I will never be that desperate,” Pansy said, patting Blaise’s arm.

“Did Daphne finally come to her senses?” Sarah asked, sipping her juice.

Blaise pouted. “She got a boyfriend.”

“Aw, shame,” Theo said emotionlessly. “Maybe now I’ll finally be able to sleep without hearing you two going at it every night for hours.”

“Ew, Blaise!”

“That’s disgusting!”

“Don’t you know how a Silencing Charm works?”

“It was horrible.”

“Stop bullying me, I’m sensitive!” Blaise cried, dabbing at his eyes. “I have recently been discarded like used trash and my heart is hurting.”

“That would require you to _have_ a heart,” Pansy sneered fondly.

“Ouch, Pansy, ouch,” deadpanned Blaise.

“Aw, did she hurt your delicate sensibilities, Blaise?” Sarah smirked.

“Oi, Draco, you’re finally here! Thank Merlin!” Theo shouted.

Sarah looked up to see Draco approaching the table, hand-in-hand with Harry.

“Save me from them,” Theo went on. “They’re barbarians. Complete heathens.”

“What were they doing?” Draco asked, sitting down beside Sarah.

“They were insulting me horribly,” Blaise said miserably. “I’ll never recover from their treatment.”

“You’ll live,” Sarah and Pansy said in unison. They smirked at each other.

Blaise turned to Draco with pleading brown eyes.

“Draco, dearest, help me,” he said. “I have been slighted and demeaned by their words. Reprimand them.”

“What were they insulting you about?” Draco inquired, raising an eyebrow at Blaise.

“Daphne got a boyfriend and doesn’t want to sleep with Blaise anymore,” Pansy voiced, popping a cherry in her mouth. “He’s devastated.”

“I am _not_ devastated!” Blaise exclaimed. “I am merely in dire need of some sexual stimulation to relieve me of all this tension!”

“Other than your hand, that is,” Sarah pointed out. She dodged a strawberry that Blaise threw at her.

“You’re crude, Sarah,” he sniffed.

“You were just talking about relieving your sexual tension!” she reminded him.

Blaise simply huffed.

“Well, looks like we need to find both Blaise and Pansy someone to sleep with,” Theo said decisively. “Anybody up for a party next weekend? I’ll provide the booze.”

“I should not be listening to this,” Draco declared calmly as he ate the bacon roll Sarah had prepared for him. “As a Prefect, I cannot endorse any illegal activity.”

“It’s not illegal,” scoffed Sarah. She leant over Draco to address Harry. “What do you say, Harry? Up for a night of fun and drinks?”

Harry shrugged. “I’m down. Can I invite the other boys?”

“Let’s do one better,” Blaise suggested. “Let’s invite Gryffindor.”

“Seriously?” Pansy said, her eyebrows nearly disappearing into her hair. “You want to let the Gryffindorks into our party?”

Blaise smirked. “The more the merrier, Pansy, darling. We can host it in the Room of Requirement.”

“I think we can find some Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs who might be interested,” Theo said.

“Besides,” Blaise added. “The more people who come, the more chances we have of getting laid.”

Pansy thought for a moment before smirking.

“All right, I’m in,” she said. “You’ll handle all the planning, Theo?”

“Of course.”

“Brilliant,” said Sarah. “Now, unfortunately, we’re going to be late for McGonagall.”

“Ah, shit.”


	4. Chapter Four

Sarah woke up early on the first Hogsmeade trip of term. It was already mid-October and the term was continuing to fly by fast.

Homework had increased as the holidays slowly grew closer, but so had Quidditch practice, as the first match was rearing its head, taunting the teams.

Harry had been grumpier recently due to Dumbledore’s extended absence. He had told them about his first private lesson with the headmaster and everyone had been more confused than relieved. Apparently, Dumbledore was intent on showing Harry memories regarding Voldemort – or Tom Riddle, his birth name – before he had gained power. Harry’s frustration at a lack of answers and an incredibly slow pace was starting to grate on everyone’s nerves, no one more so than Draco.

Just yesterday, he had finally snapped and shouted at Harry for whinging and being self-centred before storming out of the Gryffindor common room. Everyone had stared open-mouthed at his retreating form before Sarah had come to her senses, racing after him with a cry of his name.

The morning was tense.

Draco was still angry at Harry but Sarah suspected there was something else fuelling his rage. Draco, however, was refusing to spill.

“Darling, if you don’t talk to _someone_ you’ll burst!” Sarah cried and Draco deflected yet another of her questions.

“Sarah, drop it,” muttered Blaise. “He’ll tell you when he’s ready.”

Sarah huffed but accepted, watching Draco carefully.

Harry was sulking when Sarah met him, Ron and Hermione in the entrance hall.

“Where’s Draco?” he asked hopefully when she stopped in front of him.

“He left with Blaise, Pansy and Theo,” Sarah said, cringing slightly.

“Oh…okay…” Harry said miserably, his face falling.

Sarah sighed and linked her arm through his.

“Let’s talk.”

***

“And I don’t even really know what I’ve done wrong!”

Harry finally seemed to have run out of steam. The pair of them had spent a good while walking around Hogsmeade, not going into any shops, just talking and avoiding the questioning stares of their friends.

Harry turned to face her. “Has he said anything? I’ve tried apologising but he won’t listen to me.”

Sarah shook her head. “I think something else is worrying him,” she admitted. “But he refuses to tell him.”

Harry’s shoulders sagged.

“I just want to be there for him,” he whispered. “But I feel like there’s this distance growing between us and I don’t know what to do to stop it. What if he doesn’t want me anymore?”

“Harry, _no_ ,” Sarah said, pulling him to a stop. She desperately tried to catch his eye but he wasn’t looking at her. “Draco cares so much about you. _So_ much. You mean the world to him and he’ll never let that go. And don’t you dare, either!”

Harry shook his head quickly, his eyes wide. “I would never!” he exclaimed. “Sarah, the last thing I would do is give up on Draco. I love him!”

Both of them stopped in shock as Harry’s words registered. Sarah’s face split into a wide smile.

She squealed, jumping up and wrapping her arms around his neck. “I’m going to start crying because of how happy I am.”

“You’re going to start crying?” Harry asked, laughing in disbelief. “ _I’m_ the one who just confessed I love my boyfriend while we’re fighting.”

Sarah waved her hand dismissively. “You’ve been dating for _years_ ,” she said. “I knew you must have loved each other, especially considering that you look at each other like the sun shines out of the other’s arse – “

“Sarah, that’s horrible – “

“ – But the fact that you actually _said it_!” Sarah continued, ignoring Harry’s comment. “That’s what is amazing! We need to find Draco now – Oi! Seamus! Have you seen Draco?”

“Sarah, stop!” Harry said, pushing her arms down as she tried to communicate with Seamus from across the street. “Don’t worry about it, mate!” Harry called to Seamus, who shrugged and walked away.

Sarah turned to Harry and crossed her arms.

“What?” she demanded.

Harry ran a hand through his thick curls. “I don’t want to just go run up to Draco and tell him I love him now.”

“Why not?”

“Because!” Harry cried. “He’s not even talking to me! He might not believe me! What if…What if he doesn’t feel the same…?”

Sarah’s eyes softened.

“Harry,” she said softly. “If there’s one thing I can say with absolute certainty, it’s that Draco loves you too. I wasn’t kidding when I said you mean the world to him.” She smirked at him. “He never shuts up about you, I swear. Whenever it’s just us, he always manages to bring you up and his face just lights up with this inner joy, it’s makes me happy every single time.”

Harry smiled softly as Sarah continued.

“He may not to talking to us right now but if you go and find him and apologise or anything you need to do to make it seem like you did something wrong, whether you did or not” – Harry snorted slightly – “then tell him you love him, he’ll basically melt in your arms.”

Harry contemplated for a moment.

“Okay,” he eventually said. “Let’s head back now. We haven’t seen him all day so he must be back at the castle already.”

Sarah was already nodding to his words. “And then you can find him, tell him you love him and then go and have wild, in-love sex.”

“Sarah, that’s disgusting!” Harry shouted, covering her mouth with his hand. “I never want to hear you say something like that again.”

“What?” she grinned, pulling his hand away. “That’s what Fred and I did – “

“Sarah, SHUT UP!”

Laughing loudly, Harry dragged Sarah back toward the road leading back to the castle.

The swirling sleet began to fall heavier, causing Sarah and Harry to clutch their scarves closer to their faces. Ahead of them, Sarah could see the blurry figures of Katie Bell and one of her friends.

It was a little while before Sarah became aware that the voices of the pair in front of them were becoming shriller and louder. The two girls were having an argument about something Katie was holding in her hand. “It’s nothing to do with you, Leanne!” Sarah heard Katie say.

Sarah glanced at Harry to find him already frowning slightly at her. He shrugged and they continued walking.

They rounded a corner in the lane, sleet coming thick and fast, blurring Sarah’s visions. Just as she raised a gloved hand to wipe them, Leanne made to grab hold of the package Katie was holding; Katie tugged it back and the package fell to the ground.

At once, Katie rose into the air gracefully, her arms outstretched, as though she was about to fly. Yet there was something wrong, something eerie…Her hair was whipped around her by the fierce wind, but her eyes were closed and her face was quite empty of expression. Sarah, Harry and Leanne had all halted in their tracks, watching.

Then, six feet above the ground, Katie let out a terrible scream. Her eyes flew open but whatever she could see, or whatever she was feeling, was clearly causing her terrible anguish. She screamed and screamed; Leanne started to scream too and seized Katie’s ankles, trying to tug her back to the ground. Sarah and Harry raced forward to help, but even as they grabbed Katie’s legs, she fell on top of them; they managed to catch her but she was writing so much that they could hardly her. Instead, the lowered her to the ground where she thrashed and screamed, apparently unable to recognise any of them.

Harry looked around; the landscape seemed deserted.

“Stay here!” he shouted over the howling wind. “I’m going for help!”

“Hurry!” Sarah called after him. She turned to Leanne, who was shaking with fear and sobs. “Leanne, I need you to help me!” The girl didn’t move. “ _Leanne!”_

Leanne’s eyes snapped to Sarah’s.

“I need you to hold her down as I do some diagnostics!” The wind was getting louder so Sarah raised her voice even more. Despite that, Leanne nodded and gripped Katie’s arms, sitting on her legs to keep her still.

Sarah waved her wand frantically over Katie’s writhing body and felt herself grow pale.

“Shit,” she hissed. “Shit, shit, _shit_.”

“Get back!” shouted a loud voice suddenly. Sarah looked up to see Hagrid and Harry sprinting toward them. “Lemme see her!”

“Something’s happened to her!” sobbed Leanne. “I don’t know what – “

“Hagrid, she’s been cursed!” shouted Sarah. “You have to get her to Madam Pomfrey, now!”

Hagrid stared at Katie for a second, then without a word, bent down, scooped her into his arms, and ran off toward the castle. Within seconds, Katie’s piercing screams had died away and the only sound was the roar of the wind.

“The package,” Sarah said suddenly, turning to Leanne. “Where’s the package she was holding?”

Leanne pointed to the side of the lane. “I tried taking it from her but it must’ve opened…”

Harry went to grab it when Sarah gripped his arm, halting him.

“Don’t touch it,” she warned. “It’s got a curse on it.”

Harry nodded and unwound his scarf, wrapping it around the brown packaging securely.

“We should head back to the castle,” he said loudly.

He led Sarah and Leanne up the path.

Sarah leant close to him and hissed, “Harry, I’ve seen that before.” She nodded at the package. “It’s the necklace from Borgin and Burkes, remember? It said it was cursed but not with what.”

Harry’s eyes lit in recognition.

“I still can’t believe you and Draco ended up in there,” he muttered.

“We got lost!” Sarah said defensively.

Harry’s lip twitched upward before he looked at Leanne, his expression sobering. The other girl had started to shake uncontrollably. Sarah went a wrapped an arm around her.

“How did Katie get hold of this?” Harry asked.

“Well, that’s why we were arguing. She came back from the bathroom in the Three Broomsticks holding it, said it was a surprise for somebody at Hogwarts and she had to deliver it. She looked all when she said it…Oh no, oh no, I bet she’d been Imperiused and I didn’t realise!”

Leanne shook with renewed sobs.

“It’s not your fault, Leanne,” Sarah said. “Did she say who had given it to her?”

“No…she wouldn’t tell me…and I said she was being stupid and not to take it up to school, but she just wouldn’t listen and…and then I tried to grab it from her…and – and – “

Leanne let out a wail of despair.

They were nearly back at the castle now. Sarah glanced at Harry with a pinched expression. If someone was using the Imperius Curse on students to get something into the castle…

Professor McGonagall was waiting for them in the entrance hall.

“Hagrid says you three saw what happened to Katie Bell – upstairs to my office at once, please! What’s that you’re holding, Potter?”

“It’s the thing she touched,” said Harry.

“Good lord,” said Professor McGonagall, looking alarmed as she took the necklace from Harry. “No, no, Filch, they’re with me!” she said hastily, as Filch came shuffling eagerly across the entrance hall holding his Secrecy Sensor aloft. “Take this necklace to Professor Snape at once, but be sure not to touch it, keep it wrapped in the scarf!”

“Professor,” Sarah said as they hurried up the marble staircase, “may I go assist Madam Pomfrey? I have the readings from the curse. Harry can tell you what we saw…”

“Very well, Deaumont, hurry now, Poppy will be needing that information.”

Sarah nodded once at Harry before sprinting in the other direction to the three of them.

She burst into the hospital wing and immediately removed her robes and replaced them with the spare set Madam Pomfrey kept for her.

“Sarah, good,” Madam Pomfrey said as Sarah appeared at Katie’s bed. The girl was still screaming but her voice was weakening, breaking every now and then. “Please tell me you know what she was cursed with.”

Sarah waved her wand and displayed the readings of the curse. “I’ve seen the necklace from Knockturn Alley,” she said, “but I don’t know the exact curse. I’d say it’s causing hallucinations. Katie didn’t recognise any of us.”

“Yes, she still won’t respond to me,” said Madam Pomfrey. “I don’t think she’s in any physical pain.”

“Do you think the curse will worsen?” asked Sarah.

Madam Pomfrey frowned. “I don’t think so. Usually curses like this primarily affect the mind. We’ll have to put her in a magically induced coma until a Mind Healer can look at her.”

Sarah did the usual checks over her body again. “Was there any other anomalies?”

“No, other than the accelerated heart rate, she seems perfectly fine,” said the nurse.

“Should we use Dreamless Sleep?”

“No, I don’t want to risk it,” Madam Pomfrey said, pursing her lips. “Do you remember the spells I taught you for the coma?”

Sarah nodded. “I didn’t think I’d have to do one until my Traineeship,” she admitted, rolling up her sleeves.

Madam Pomfrey laughed. “Expect the unexpected, dearie. On my count – One – two – _three_!”

Sarah and Madam Pomfrey waved their wands in the complex pattern designed to slow down the body’s functions without debilitating them. It was an arduous process and by the time they had finished and Katie was stable, no longer screaming, both Sarah and Madam Pomfrey were shaking slightly, having used quite a fair amount of magical energy.

The doors swung open to reveal Professor McGonagall, Harry and Leanne.

Sarah summoned a Calming Draught for Leanne as the trio approached them.

“Drink this,” she said, handing the vial to the other girl, “it’ll make you feel better.”

“How is she, Poppy?” Professor McGonagall asked, nodding toward Katie’s prone figure.

Madam Pomfrey frowned. “We’ve done all we can at the moment. I’ve already contacted St Mungo’s.”

“We think the curse was causing terrifying hallucinations,” Sarah explained, slouching lower in her chair. “Her body was completely unharmed, thankfully.”

“Are you two okay?” Professor McGonagall asked, staring at them intensely.

“Just drained,” Madam Pomfrey said. “Usually it is recommended to do a magically induced coma with more than two Healers. We’ll be fine with a bit of rest.”

“In that case, Potter, take Deaumont back to the common room,” Professor McGonagall said sternly. “I’ll not have her collapsing halfway up a staircase.”

“At least I know how to fix myself back up,” Sarah remarked, cowering slightly at Professor McGonagall’s glare. “Right away, ma’am.”

“Off you three go, I shall see you at dinner,” the professor said, ushering Harry, Sarah and Leanne out of the ward.

Leanne thanked them for their help and disappeared. Sarah leaned heavily on Harry as they walked down the corridor. When they reached the first flight of stairs, she groaned pitifully.

“You’re making me go up five flights of stairs when I could be going _down_ two?” she complained.

“You’d get bored down there and try to come and see what we were doing,” Harry shrugged. “Easier this way.”

“Easier?” she scoffed, wincing at her sore body. “You’re not the one who feels like they’re been run over by a hippogriff.

Harry laughed and stepped in front of her, squatting slightly.

“Jump on,” he said in response to her raised brow, “I’ll carry you.”

“Up five flights of stairs?” she said incredulously. “I rather that McGonagall didn’t find us both on a landing with our heads cracked open.”

“Just shut up and climb on.”

Sarah looked at the stairs again and admitted defeat.

“If you drop me, Potter,” she said as she jumped onto Harry’s back, “I swear I shall castrate you.”

Harry laughed again and tightened his grip.

“Don’t worry,” he assured. “You’re not that heavy.”

“Brilliant,” she drawled sarcastically. “I’m sure you’ll still be saying that after staircase number three.”

To Sarah’s complete and utter shock, Harry managed to get them all the way up to the Fat Lady’s portrait without once risking their perfectly formed skulls. The Fat Lady peered down at them curiously but swung open when Harry panted out the password.

“Am I still not that heavy?” Sarah inquired as Harry clambered through the portrait hole.

“Shut up,” Harry gasped.

He dropped her onto the couch next to the fire and sank into the cushion beside her, letting out a groan of relief.

“You know I could have walked down that entire last corridor?” Sarah said, poking Harry’s limp form.

He grunted and shot her the finger without opening his eyes.

“I greatly appreciate it, though,” she said, leaning forward to drop a kiss on his cheek. She waved her wand over him for a muscle-relaxing spell and his eyes shot open.

“Should you be doing magic at the moment?” he asked worriedly.

Sarah waved a hand at him dismissively. It was only shaking slightly now.

“I’ll be fine, Harry, don’t worry,” she said.

“I just don’t want you hurting yourself,” he replied.

“Why would Sarah hurt herself?”

Both Sarah and Harry looked up at Draco’s sudden voice.

“Darling!” exclaimed Sarah. “Don’t mind Harry, he’s just being silly.”

“Silly?” Harry said crossly. He turned his bright green eyes on Draco’s inquisitive silver ones. “Sarah drained her magical core helping Madam Pomfrey and just did more magic on me.”

“Sarah, that was stupid,” Draco reprimanded. He looked entirely unimpressed. “Rest, now.”

“So, are you back to talking to us?” Sarah wheedled when Draco took a seat on the armchair closest to them. With both their sore bodies, Harry and Sarah were taking up most of the couch.

“I never _wasn’t_ talking to you,” said Draco evenly. “I was just omitting certain information.”

“You weren’t talking to us,” Sarah concluded. “But you are now, apparently.”

Draco sighed and passed a letter over to Harry. Sarah leant forward to read it over his arm. It was from Narcissa. Apparently, things had been getting even worse at the Manor and she had decided to take a holiday to France for a while. She would not able to be contacted and had warned Draco to not expect any communication for an indefinite time.

“I’m sorry I pushed you both away,” Draco said softly. “I was just worried about this.”

“And overthinking every aspect of it and how you could safely contact her,” Sarah guessed.

Draco nodded. Sarah forcibly heaved herself upright to make space on the couch.

“Come you, you giant idiot,” she said fondly, patting the seat in between her and Harry.

Draco smiled in relief and sat close to Harry, pressing their sides together. Harry kissed him gently and Sarah flopped over to curl up against Draco’s other side.

“That’s better,” she sighed.

“What?” Draco asked.

“We’re all together again and no one’s being stupid.”

“Except you,” said Harry sharply. “Put that wand away, I see what you’re doing.”

Sarah cursed and let go of her wand. She had been surreptitiously trying to summon the sweets she knew Draco kept in Harry’s room.

Harry filled Draco in on what had happened to Katie as the common room slowly began to fill up. Ron and Hermione appeared and Harry had to repeat his story. By this point, Sarah was dozing quite comfortably against Draco and didn’t notice how much time had passed until she was being shaken awake.

“Dinner time, darling,” Draco said, helping her to her feet. She wobbled slightly but could walk.

“Some food and I’ll be good as new,” she declared, pocketing her wand. “Merlin, I hope there’s apple pie.”


	5. Chapter Five

Katie was removed to St Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries the following day, by which time the news that she had been cursed had spread all over the school, though the details were confused and nobody other than Sarah, Harry, Draco, Ron, Hermione and Leanne seemed to know that Katie herself had not been the intended target.

“I wonder who she was trying to deliver the necklace to?” Draco voiced that afternoon.

“Well, it could have been anyone,” Hermione frowned. “I just don’t understand how she was expected to get it into the castle…”

“What if Harry was the target?” Ron suggested. “I mean, it’s no secret that You-Know-Who wants him dead.”

Sarah cocked her head at him. “I really doubt that Voldemort would try to curse Harry through a necklace, Ronald.”

“Just a suggestion…” Ron muttered.

“Anyway, Sarah and I were walking behind Katie the entire time,” Harry said. “If either of us had been the target, she would have just given it to us.”

“I feel like we’re missing a big piece,” Sarah stated. “And once we have it, everything will start to make sense.”

***

During Tuesday morning’s Herbology lesson, Harry recounted what he had learnt at Dumbledore’s private lesson the night before. It had been a memory of Tom Riddle as a child, already quite powerful and independent.

“Wow, scary thought, the boy You-Know-Who,” said Ron quietly, as they took their places around one of the gnarled Snargaluff stumps that formed this term’s project, and began pulling on their protective gloves. “But I still don’t get why Dumbledore’s showing you all this. I mean, it’s really interesting and everything, but what’s the point?”

“Dunno,” said Harry, inserting a gum shield. “But he says it’s all important and it’ll help me survive.”

“There must be something he thinks is important in the memories,” Sarah pondered. “Something that will give you the answers as to how to stop Voldemort.”

“I think it’s fascinating,” said Hermione earnestly. “It makes absolute sense to know as much about Voldemort as possible. How else will you find out his weakness?”

“Hermione’s right,” Draco piped up. “The more you know about the person he was and grow to be, the better chance you’ll have of understanding his plans.”

“ _Quite_ enough chat over here!” said Professor Sprout briskly, bustling over and looking stern. “You’re lagging behind, everybody else has started, and Neville’s already got his first pod!”

They looked around; sure enough, there sat Neville with a bloody lip and several nasty scratches along the side of his face, but clutching an unpleasantly pulsating green object about the size of a grapefruit. Sarah and Draco’s mouths twisted into identical disgusted expression.

“Okay, Professor, we’re starting now!” said Ron, adding quietly, when she had turned away again, “should have used Muffliato, Harry.”

“No, we shouldn’t!” said Hermione at once, looking, as she always did, intensely cross at the thought of the Harry’s Potions book, which had been owned by someone called the Half-Blood Prince. Interesting spells had been discovered by Harry while he read through the book.

“It’s perfectly safe, Hermione,” Sarah assured. “I’ve been using it with Draco in class.”

Hermione gave her a disapproving look and Draco quickly said, “Well, come on…we’d better get started…”

They all took deep breaths and then dived at the gnarled stump between them.

It sprang to life at once; long, prickly bramble-like vines flew out of the top and whipped through the air. One tangled itself in Hermione’s hair and Ron beat it back with a pair of secateurs; Harry and Draco succeeded in trapping a couple of the vines and knotting them together; a hole opened in the middle of all the tentacle-like branches; Sarah plunged her arm bravely into this hole, which closed like a trap around her elbow; Harry, Draco, Ron and Hermione tugged and wrenched at the vines, forcing the hole open again, and Sarah snatched her arm free, clutching in her fingers a pod just like Neville’s. At once, the prickly vines shot back inside and the gnarled stump sat there looking like an innocently dead lump of wood.

“You know, I don’t think I’ll be having any of these in my garden when I’ve got my own place,” said Ron, pushing his goggles up onto his forehead and wiping sweat from his face.

“Pass me a bowl,” said Sarah, holding the pulsating pod at arm’s length; Harry handed one over and she dropped the pod into it with a look of disgust on her face.

“Don’t be squeamish, squeeze it out, they’re best when they’re fresh!” called Professor Sprout.

“Anyway,” said Hermione, continuing the conversation as though a lump of wood had not just attacked them, “Slughorn’s going to have a Christmas party and there’s no way you two will be able to wriggle out of this one because he actually asked me to check your free evenings, so he could be sure to have it on a night you can come.”

Sarah and Harry groaned and looked commiseratingly at each other. Ron, who was attempting to burst the pod in the bowl by putting both hands on it, standing up and squashing it as hard as he could, said angrily, “And this is another party just for Slughorn’s favourites, is it?”

“Just for the Slug Club, yes,” said Hermione. Sarah winced.

The pod flew out from under Ron’s fingers and hit the greenhouse glass, rebounding back toward them. Draco snatched it out of the air and took the bowl away from Ron as Hermione said, “Look, _I_ didn’t make the name ‘Slug Club’ – “

“ _Slug Club,”_ repeated Ron with a sneer worthy of Crabbe. “It’s pathetic. Well, I hope you enjoy your party. Why don’t you try hooking up with McLaggen, then Slughorn can make you King and Queen Slug – “

“We’re allowed to bring guests,” said Hermione, who had turned a bright, boiling scarlet. Sarah cringed and grimaced at the pair, who seemed to have forgotten that they weren’t alone. “And I was _going_ to ask you to come, but if you think it’s that stupid then I won’t _bother_!”

Sarah wished that Draco hadn’t caught the pod so that she would have an excuse to leave the conversation. Harry obviously had the same thought. He seized the bowl from Draco and began to try and open the pod by the noisiest and most energetic means he could think of. Draco snickered slightly and began to help him. Unfortunately, they could still hear every word of the conversation.

“You were going to ask me?” asked Ron, in a completely different voice.

“Yes,” said Hermione angrily. “But obviously if you’d rather I _hooked up with McLaggen_ …”

There was a pause while Harry continued to pound the resilient pod with a trowel.

“No, I wouldn’t,” said Ron, in a very quiet voice.

Harry missed the pod, hit the bowl, and shattered it.

“ _Reparo_ ,” Sarah said hastily, poking the pieces with her wand and the bowl sprang back together again. The crash, however, appeared to have awoken Ron and Hermione to the others’ presence. Hermione looked flustered and immediately started fussing about for her copy of _Flesh-Eating Trees of the World_ to find out the correct way to juice Snargaluff pods; Ron, on the other hand, looked sheepish but also rather pleased with himself.

“Hand that over, Harry,” said Hermione hurriedly. “It says we’re supposed to puncture them with something sharp…”

Draco immediately grabbed an ominous-looking tool and Sarah and Harry stepped away from the table as Draco and Hermione closed ranks on the pod. Harry looked incredibly deep in thought so Sarah elbowed him slightly, cocking her head at him in question. He shook his head and mouthed, _Later_.

Sarah, Ron and Harry snapped their goggles back into place and groaning, dived back toward the Snargaluff stump.

“Gotcha!” yelled Ron, pulling a second pod from the stump just as Draco managed to burst the first one open so that the bowl was full of tubers wriggling like pale green worms.

The rest of the lesson passed without further mention of Slughorn’s party. Although, over the next few days, Sarah saw Harry watching Ron and Hermione closely and started observing them as well. They did not seem any different except that they were a little politer to each other than usual. Sarah sometimes caught Hermione with a small smile on her face, completely unrelated to the homework they were meant to be doing at the time, and she gave the other girl a significant look, causing her to blush and look back down at whatever book was in front of her at the time.

Another pressing matter was vying for Harry’s attention. With Katie still in St Mungo’s, he had to find a replacement Chaser before the opening match against Slytherin. Sarah had refused to tell Harry her new teammates, even Draco had been close-lipped.

In the end, Harry bit the Quaffle and asked Dean Thomas if he was still interested in playing Chaser. Throughout the exchange, Sarah could see Seamus angrily stuffing his things back in his bag. Unfortunately, Dean had outflown Seamus during trials.

“Now will you tell me who’s on your team?” Harry asked when they left the Transfiguration classroom.

“Nope,” said Sarah, popping the ‘p’. “You’ll see next weekend.”

The next morning, Sarah as in complete confusion as to why Ron was treating Hermione with ice, sneering indifference. Hermione was extremely hurt and bewildered.

“I haven’t spoken to him since before their practice last night,” Hermione said miserably as she stood from the Gryffindor table. “I don’t know what I’ve done.”

“I’ll talk to him,” said Sarah determinedly.

Hermione nodded sadly and left the Hall, Draco beside her, whispering softly in her ear.

Sarah waited a few days to see if Ron’s behaviour would improve. It didn’t. His new aggression actually seemed to be getting worse. He had been constantly arguing with Hermione in between classes and refused to sit with any of them even at mealtimes. The night before the Quidditch match, Sarah’s tolerance finally snapped.

Sarah marched up the table to where Ron was sitting with Neville and slammed her hands on the table between them. Both boys jumped and looked at her in shock.

“We need to talk, _now_ ,” she hissed at Ron. His eye’s widened in fear and he got to his feet.

Sarah didn’t wait a second longer; she reached up and grabbed Ron by the ear and began dragging him out of the Hall.

“Ouch, Sarah! What the hell - !” he cried as he bent down awkwardly, stumbling along after her.

She didn’t reply and pulled him until they were on the grounds by the castle steps. It was only then that she released him.

“What the bloody hell are you doing?” he exclaimed.

“Do you want to tell me why you’re acting like such an _arsehole_ to Hermione and everyone?” she snapped.

Ron flushed and muttered something.

“I’m sorry, what was that?” Sarah asked viciously. “I couldn’t hear you.”

Ron snapped loudly, “It’s none of your business.”

“None of my business?” Sarah swelled in anger. “It is _definitely_ my business when my friend is hurt and upset and doesn’t know what she did to deserve it!”

“Sarah, butt out of it!”

“No! Tell me why!”

“She snogged Krum and everyone knows it!”

Sarah was shocked into silence.

“Is that really what this is about?” she said in a disbelieving tone. “You’re upset that Hermione _snogged Viktor_.”

Ron refused to look at her but muttered, “It wasn’t just about Hermione. Ginny also went on about how Harry had Draco and you had Fred.”

Sarah was beginning to realise what the argument had been about. She remembered a few nights ago when Ginny had stormed into the Gryffindor common room, fuming and cursing at her brother.

“You got angry at Ginny for kissing Dean, didn’t you?” said Sarah slowly. “And then she went and listed all your friends who have been with someone while you haven’t. She made you feel undesirable, didn’t she?”

Ron purposely looked away from Sarah and nodded reluctantly.

Sarah punched him hard in the arm.

“OW! What the _fuck_!”

“You are a complete _idiot!”_ she shrieked. “Who _cares_ if you haven’t kissed anybody! You have someone who is interested in you _now_ and you’re wrecking any chance you have with her because you’re too busy being a _jealous arsehole!”_

Ron stared at her in shock.

“You need to go up to Hermione and apologise for being unreasonable,” Sarah commanded. “It’s completely ridiculous! Even you aren’t that immature!”

“What’s the point?” Ron said savagely. “It won’t change anything.”

“It would change everything!” shouted Sarah. “For one, your friends wouldn’t be divided between each other. Have you noticed that Harry is staying by your side despite the fact that it’s causing him and Draco to fight? Harry knows you’re in the wrong but he’s still supporting you, even against his own _boyfriend_!”

“He’s pissed at me, too,” Ron snarled. “Everyone is.”

“Because you’re being a fucking dickhead to everyone!” cried Sarah, throwing her hands in the air. “I knew you could get jealous but this is to a whole another level, Ron. You’re risking your friends and for what? The fact that Hermione kissed someone _two years ago_? Someone who she hasn’t been romantically interested in since? For Merlin’s sake, Viktor has a girlfriend now, he isn’t going to try and _woo_ Hermione or anything!”

Ron was listening with a pained expression.

“You need to pull your head out of your arse, go apologise to Hermione and then do your absolute best in the match tomorrow,” Sarah said sternly, “because Harry is trying his hardest to keep the team together with all the conflict and it is _eating_ at him. Help your best friend, Ronald and stop being so focused on what happened in the past!”

Sarah finished her rant and stood panting slightly, her arms crossed over her chest.

“I’ve been an idiot,” he muttered.

“No shit!” Sarah said, shaking her head. “But you can make up for it.”

Ron sighed and ran a hand through his short red hair.

“Did you mean what you said?” he asked uncertainly. “About Hermione being interested in me?”

“You’re fucking blind, Ronald,” Sarah said, not answering the question. “Let’s go up to Gryffindor now. It’s freezing and I have homework I need to do.”

She spun around when Ron’s voice stopped her.

“Thanks, Sarah,” he muttered weakly, coming to stand beside her.

“You’re very welcome,” she said primly. “Now, let’s go.”

Unfortunately, Hermione had already gone to bed by the time they returned to the common room and Ron had finished apologising to everyone he had hurt in the last few days. Harry had clapped him on the shoulder, smiling in relief, while Ginny had just scowled and flounced away, her red hair dancing behind her.

Sarah had gone up to try to see if Hermione would talk to Ron but found the other girl fast asleep, covered in books and parchment. Sarah tidied up for her and then went back downstairs, where Ron was waiting with a weary look on his face.

“She’s passed out,” Sarah informed him. “I don’t think she’s been sleeping very well.”

“Oh, okay, then…” Ron nodded. “I’m going to head up to bed.”

He hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and wrapping Sarah in a tight hug, whispering another word of thanks before departing up the boy’s staircase.

Sarah looked around the common room to see that Harry and Draco were cuddling on the couch, talking quietly to each other. Sarah decided not to interrupt them and instead quietly grabbed her school stuff, leaving for the Slytherin common room.

Breakfast was an excitable affair next morning; the Slytherins cheered loudly when Sarah entered the Hall. She smirked and waved at everyone, taking a seat beside Blaise.

“So, you ready for your first game?” she asked him quietly, leaning against his shoulder.

He smiled down at her. “Considering how many practises we’ve had these past weeks, I’d be worried if I wasn’t.”

Sarah laughed and stole a piece of watermelon from his plate.

“Harry’s still angry that I haven’t told him our line-up,” she commented absently. “It’ll be quite amusing to see his face.”

“Has everyone managed to keep our team a secret?” Blaise asked, swatting Sarah’s hand away as she went for another piece of fruit.

She pouted but nodded, saying, “Surprisingly, yes. I’ll be sure to figure out a suitable payment of thanks for everyone.”

At that moment, the doors opened again and the majority of the Gryffindor team entered, Draco hand-in-hand with Harry. The other houses cheered and clapped loudly while some Slytherins booed.

Sarah snapped down the table, “Oi, knock that off!”

Draco kissed Harry briefly before moving to the Slytherin table, sitting across from Sarah and Blaise.

“I feel like today’s going to be a good game,” he commented brightly.

“You’re just saying that because you got laid last night,” Pansy drawled, sliding down the bench from where she had been talking to a fifth year.

Draco smirked but didn’t reply.

Pansy suddenly turned a scowl onto Sarah.

“I can’t believe _you_ ,” she said while poking Sarah with a finger, ”recruited my ex-girlfriend.”

Sarah shrugged unapologetically.

“She was the best option we had for a Beater,” Sarah said. “It would be disastrous to the team if I _didn’t_ put her on.”

Pansy huffed. “Fine, but I hope she falls off her broom.”

“Pansy, darling, are you ever going to stop being the scorned ex?” Sarah asked delicately. “It’s been nearly sixth months.”

“I’ll stop when the hag apologises!” cried Pansy, drawing the attention of some students. She ignored them and flipped her short dark bob over her shoulder. “Until then, she deserves all my wrath.”

“All right then,” Sarah said, shrugging. She looked up at a commotion at the Gryffindor table. “Looks like it’s time to leave,” she said, standing up. She shouted down the table, “Oi! Team, let’s go!”

Draco, Blaise, Millicent, Simon Vaisey, Lucian Kinkade and Victor Shafiq all rose from their seats to cheers from their classmates. Sarah winked across the Hall at Harry before leading her team out of the Hall. Hermione stopped her in the entrance hall.

“Sarah, Harry put something in Ron’s drink,” she hissed quietly.

“What?”

“I just saw him,” Hermione continued. “I think it was the Felix Felicis.”

Sarah blinked at her.

“Harry’s not that stupid,” she said.

Hermione looked angrily. “Normally, I would agree but with Ron being the way he is right now…” She blinked away tears.

“You mean he hasn’t apologised to you yet?” Sarah said in shock. “Oh, I’m going to kill that idiot.”

“Leave it, Sarah,” murmured Hermione.

“No, I talked to him last night,” Sarah explained. “He was going to apologise to you but you were asleep. I expected him to do it this morning.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Hermione said as the Gryffindor team came out of the Hall. “You have to go.”

Sarah watched as Hermione disappeared into the crowd before resuming walking. Draco caught sight of her frown and asked, “Everything okay?”

Sarah shook herself and said, “Just something Hermione said. I’m sure it’s nothing.”

Draco looked concerned but nodded.

After a quick pep talk in the locker rooms, they walked out onto the pitch to tumultuous roars and boos. One end of the stadium was solid red and gold; the other, a sea of green and silver. Many Hufflepuffs had taken sides too: Amidst all the yelling and clapping Sarah could distinctly hear the roar of Luna Lovegood’s famous lion-topped hat.

Sarah stepped up to Madam Hooch, the referee, who was standing ready to release the balls from the crate.

“Captains shake hands,” she said, and Sarah held her hand out to Harry, who grinned at her widely.

“May the best team win,” he said.

“Just you wait, Potter,” Sarah smirked.

“Mount your brooms,” Madam Hooch called. “On the whistle…three…two…one…”

The whistle sounded, Sarah and the others kicked off hard from the frozen ground and they were away.

A voice that was jarringly different from the usual commentator’s started up.

“Well, there they go, and I think we’re all surprised to see the teams that Potter and Deaumont have put together this year. Many thought, given Ronald Weasley’s patchy performance as Keeper last year, that he might be off the team, but of course, a close personal friendship with the Captain does help…”

These words were greeted with jeers and applause from a lot of the Slytherins. Sarah scowled and tried to focus on the Quaffle but Zacharias Smith’s words still invaded her skull.

“Not to mention the Slytherin team,” he went on, “Most of them are friends of Deaumont’s, although, potentially it was a bad decision to have the opposing team Captain’s boyfriend versing him as Seeker. Maybe that’s why they haven’t won a game against Gryffindor yet.”

Sarah was so tempted to go and slam her fist into Smith’s face but refrained from doing so, instead accepting a pass from Blaise and putting it through the goals.

“First point to Slytherin,” drawled Smith. “My, my, maybe I hit a nerve.”

With half an hour of the game gone, Gryffindor was barely leading, sixty to fifty. Ron had been making some truly spectacular saves, despite Sarah, Blaise and Simon’s best attempts. Victor was also struggling slightly against Gryffindor’s Chasers, the benefit being that Sarah managed to get through some complicated goals. Her Beaters were working spectacularly together, breaking up the Gryffindor formations whenever they attempted to gang up on Victor.

“And it’s Deaumont passing to Zabini who passes to Vaisey – female Weasley intercepts it and disappears down the pitch – No, she’s stopped by a Bludger from Bulstrode. Quaffle is back in Slytherin possession – but Weasley saves it, sending it back to Thomas.”

Sarah narrowly dodged a Bludger sent her way by Coote when Peakes flew into her.

“I’m sorry!” he called, reaching out a hand to steady her as she wobbled dangerously on her broom.

Madam Hooch’s whistle meant another goal for Slytherin and they began to pull ahead.

“And I think Malfoy of Slytherin has seen the Snitch!” said Zacharias Smith through his megaphone. “Yes, he’s certainly seen something Potter hasn’t!”

Sarah refused to look but she could hear the crowd steadily growing in volume. All the Chasers began to increase the speed of their attacks and Slytherin managed to get in a few points, Gryffindor right behind them.

“YES!” Sarah heard Harry yell.

The sound of the whistle signalled the end of the game and Sarah gratefully come to a stop. Her shoulder was hurting from where Peakes had flown into her.

“Ginny, where are you going?” Draco shouted. Sarah looked up to see Ginny speeding right past the group hug her team was in until, with an almighty crash, she collided with the commentator’s podium. As the crowd shrieked and laughed, the Slytherin team landed on the side of the pitch while the Gryffindor team celebrated in the middle.

“Really good game, you guys,” Sarah said, smiling at them. “You all did brilliantly.”

“Are you okay, Sarah?” Simon asked when Sarah winced as she adjusted her robes.

“Just a bruised shoulder,” she reassured him. “I’ll be fine as soon as I look at it. Now, I won’t be scheduling practice next week so take a few nights off for yourself.”

She smiled as her team clapped her on her good shoulder and began to disappear into the locker rooms.

“Ginny that was hilarious!” Draco laughed as the Gryffindor team made their way over. “I can’t believe you rammed into Smith.”

“He deserved it,” Ginny shrugged.

Peakes came up to Sarah.

“I’m sorry about that collision, again,” he said sheepishly. “I didn’t see you after ducking the Bludger.”

She punched him gently on the arm. “No harm done, one time, Harry pushed me off my broom and I fell ten feet.”

“I did not!” spluttered Harry. “You fucked up a trick and it was only like _five_ feet!”

“Party in the common, Seamus said!” yelled Dean exuberantly. “C’mon Ginny, Demelza!”

Sarah and Draco waited in the Gryffindor locker rooms for Harry and Ron to finish when Hermione entered. She was twisting her Gryffindor scarf in her hands and looked upset but determined.

“I want a word with you, Harry.” She took a deep breath. “You shouldn’t have done it. You heard Slughorn, it’s illegal.”

“What are you going to do, turn us in?” demanded Ron.

“What are you talking about?” Draco asked in confusion, looking between Hermione and his boyfriend.

“Harry spiked Ron’s juice with lucky potion at breakfast!” Hermione said shrilly.

“No, I didn’t,” said Harry, turning to face them.

“Yes, you did, Harry, and that’s why everything seemed perfect! Ron saved nearly everything!”

“I didn’t put it in!” said Harry, grinning broadly. He slipped his hand inside his jacket pocket and drew out the tiny bottle of potion. It was full of golden liquid and the cork was still tightly sealed with wax. Sarah felt her stomach drop. “I wanted Ron to think I’d done it, so I faked it when I knew you were looking.” He looked at Ron. “You saved everything because you felt lucky. You did it all yourself.”

He pocketed the potion again.

“There wasn’t anything in my pumpkin juice?” Ron said, astounded. “But I saved everything…”

“You’ve been practising with Sarah a lot more, I’m sure it’s helped,” Harry said, still smiling.

Ron gaped at him for a moment before rounding on Hermione, imitating her voice. “ _You added Felix Felicis to Ron’s juice this morning, that’s why he saved everything_! See! I can save goals without help, Hermione!”

“I never said you couldn’t – Ron, _you_ thought you’d been given it too!”

But Ron had already strode past her out of the door with his broomstick over his shoulder. Sarah saw the regret on Harry’s face that his plan had backfired.

“Er,” he said into the sudden silence, “shall…shall we go up to the party, then?”

“You go!” said Hermione, blinking back tears. “I’m _sick_ of Ron at the moment, I don’t know what I’m supposed to have done…”

And she stormed out of the changing room too.

Sarah, Harry and Draco walked slowly back up the grounds toward the castle through the crowd, many of whom shouted congratulations at Harry.

“You tried to do the right thing, Harry,” Draco said softly squeezing Harry’s hand. “They have to sort it out between them.”

Sarah could not see Hermione at the Gryffindor celebration party, which was in full swing when the three of them arrived. Harry and Draco soon disappeared to a quiet corner while Sarah walked around, laughing with people distractedly as she looked for Hermione or Ron. As she was ducking toward the drinks table, she walked straight into Ginny, who had Arnold, her Pygmy Puff, riding on her shoulder and Crookshanks mewing hopefully at her heels.

“Looking for Ron?” she asked, smirking. “He’s over there, the filthy hypocrite.”

Sarah looked into the corner she was indicating. There, in full view of the whole room, stood Ron wrapped so closely around Lavender Brown it was hard to tell whose hands were whose.

“Oh, shit no…” Sarah muttered.

“It looks like he’s eating her face, doesn’t it?” said Ginny dispassionately. “But I suppose he’s got to refine his technique somehow. Good game, Sarah.”

Sarah turned away from Ron, who did not look like he would be surfacing soon, just as the portrait hole was closing. With a sinking feeling, she thought she saw a mane of bushy brown hair whipping out of sight.

She darted forward, sidestepped Seamus who tried to pass her a drink, and pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady. The corridor outside seemed to be deserted. A second later, the portrait swung open again and Harry and Draco stepped through, looking worried.

“We saw Ron,” Draco said in explanation, “and then saw you leaving quickly.”

“I thought I saw Hermione,” Sarah said softly.

They found her in the first unlocked classroom they tried. She was sitting on the teacher’s desk, alone except for a small ring of twittering yellow birds circling her head, which she had clearly just conjured out of midair. Sarah could not help admiring her spellwork at a time like this.

“Oh, hello,” she said in a brittle voice. “I was just practising.”

“They’re lovely,” Sarah said softly, walking slowly closer.

“You’ve always been brilliant at that spell,” added Draco, smiling.

Sarah jumped up beside Hermione and felt the other girl lean slightly against her. Harry went to stand on her other side.

No one seemed to know what to say. Luckily, Hermione spoke first. In an unnaturally high-pitched voice, she said, “Ron seems to be enjoying the celebrations.”

“Er…does he?” said Harry. Draco pinched him as Sarah rolled her eyes.

“Don’t pretend you didn’t see him,” said Hermione. “He wasn’t exactly hiding it, was – ?”

The door behind them burst open. To Sarah’s horror, Ron came in, laughing, pulling Lavender by the hand.

“Oh,” he said, drawing up short at the sight of the four of them and Hermione’s red-rimmed eyes.

“Oops!” said Lavender, and she backed out of the room, giggling. The door swung shut behind her.

There was a horrible, swelling, billowing silence. Hermione was staring at Ron, who refused to look at her, but said with an odd mixture of bravado and awkwardness, “Hi, guys! Wondered where you’d go to!”

Hermione slid off the desk. The little flock of golden birds continued to twitter in circles around her head so that she looked like a strange, feathery model of the solar system.

“You shouldn’t leave Lavender waiting outside,” she said quietly. “She’ll wonder where you’ve gone.”

She walked very slowly and erectly toward the door. Sarah saw Harry glance at Ron, obviously relieved that nothing worse had happened.

“ _Oppugno!”_ came a shriek from the doorway.

Sarah startled and saw Hermione pointing her wand at Ron, her expression wild: the little flock of birds was speeding fast toward Ron, who yelped and covered his face with his hands, but the birds attacked, pecking and clawing at every bit of flesh they could reach.

“Gerremoffme!” he yelled, but with one look of vindictive fury, Hermione wrenched open the door and disappeared through it. Sarah thought she heard a sob before it slammed.

Sarah got off the desk and swished her wand through the air, Vanishing the birds. Ron stood in silence as she cleaned his cuts and healed them. When she was finished, she stepped back and looked at him, shaking her head slightly.

“Good job, Ron,” she said, her voice heavy with disappointment. She stalked toward the door.

“She’s mad!” Ron called from behind her. Sarah paused with her hand on the doorknob.

“No,” she said quietly, “she’s heartbroken.”

And then she left.


	6. Chapter Six

Snow was now swirling against the icy windows once more; Christmas was approaching fast. Hagrid had already single-handedly delivered the usual twelve Christmas trees for the Great Hall; garlands of holly and tinsel had been twisted around the banisters of the stairs; everlasting candles glowed from inside the helmets of suits of armour and great bunches of mistletoe had been hung at intervals along the corridor.

Hermione, who had been in a state of solidified resilience ever since the night Ron had gotten with Lavender and Sarah had had to comfort her through her tears, was resolutely not talking to Ron. This meant that their group was split up once again. Harry was trying to talk Ron into apologising but he wouldn’t hear any of it. Sarah had initially been willing to spend time with both friends until Ron had said spitefully, “She can’t complain. She snogged Krum. So she’s found out someone wants to snog me too. Well, it’s a free country. I haven’t done anything wrong. I never promised her anything.”

After that, Sarah had refused to spend any more time with him. Luckily, this meant she didn’t have to constantly deal with Lavender being all over Ron every minute of the day. Draco had dealt with it as long as he could but eventually, his resolved shattered and he began sitting with Sarah and Hermione.

“I don’t think Harry’s going to last much longer,” Draco confided to Sarah at breakfast one day. They were sitting at the Slytherin table and Pansy was talking to Hermione about some complex Charms to use on clothes. Draco was gazing over at the Gryffindor table where Harry was sitting, sulkily moving his food around. Ron and Lavender were wrapped around each other, talking quietly, not seeming to notice the other boy’s presence. “Lavender’s quite horrid to him,” Draco continued. “Keeps trying to set him up with various girls.”

Sarah grimaced. At that moment, Harry looked up at them, sighing sadly.

“Go save him,” she urged Draco. “I’ll see you in class.”

Draco nodded and immediately stood up, grabbing his bag and walking toward the Gryffindor table. Ron didn’t notice Harry leaving.

Draco had been right. Harry began spending evenings with them in the library, listening silently as Hermione muttered complaints about Ron. According to Harry, Ron was doing the same thing during the day.

One night, while Sarah and Harry were poring over _Advanced Potion-Making_ and the Prince’s book, Hermione suddenly said, “You need to be careful, Harry.”

“For the last time,” said Harry, speaking in a slightly hoarse whisper after three-quarters of an hour of silence, “I am not giving back this book. I’ve learned more from the Half-Blood Prince than Snape or Slughorn – “

“I’m not talking about your stupid so-called Prince,” said Hermione, giving his book a nasty look as though it had been rude to her. “I’m talking about earlier. I went into the girls’ bathroom just before I came in here and there were about a dozen girls in there, including that Romilda Vane, trying to decide how to slip you a love potion. They’re all hoping they’re going to get you to take them to Slughorn’s party, and they all seem to have bought Fred and George’s love potions, which I’m afraid to say probably work – “

“Why doesn’t anybody get it?” Harry complained in a whisper. “I’m dating Draco!”

“You’re just too enticing, babe,” Draco said, smirking.

“You’ll just have to watch what you eat and drink,” Sarah said. “I’ve been trying to dissuade the twins from selling those potions. They don’t last very long but they can still cause trouble. If something smells off, don’t ingest it.”

Movement behind them made them all stop talking. They waited, and a moment later the vulture-like countenance of Madam Pince appeared around the corner of the shelves, her sunken cheeks, her skin like parchment, and her long, hooked nose illuminated unflatteringly by the lamp she was carrying.

“The library is now closed,” she said. “Mind you return anything you have borrowed to the correct – _what have you been doing to that book, you depraved boy?”_

“It isn’t the library’s, it’s mine!” said Harry hastily, snatching his copy of _Advanced Potions-Making_ off the table as she lunged at it with a claw-like hand.

“Despoiled!” she hissed. “Desecrated! Befouled!”

“It’s just a book that’s been written on!” said Harry, tugging it out of her grip.

She looked as though she might have a seizure; Draco, who had hastily packed their things, grabbed Harry by the arm and frog-marched him away, Hermione and Sarah on their heels.

“She’ll ban you from the library if you’re not careful,” said Hermione. “Why did you have to bring that stupid book?”

“It’s not my fault she’s barking mad, Hermione. Honestly, it’s just a book.”

“Harry, darling, love, dearest friend,” Sarah said in a pained voice, “you’re killing me.”

Hermione was shaking her head and smirking slightly as Harry turned toward Sarah.

“I swear you both have problems,” he stated. Draco coughed slightly and Harry spun on him. “Not you, too!”

Hermione let out a laugh. Enjoying the fact that they were all talking normally again, they made their way along the deserted, lamp-lit corridors back to the common room, arguing about whether of not writing in books was a punishable crime or not.

“Baubles,” said Harry to the Fat Lady.

“Same to you,” said the Fat Lady with a roguish grin. “Do you two ever stay in your own common room?” she asked Sarah and Draco.

“We just love you more than a brick wall,” Sarah grinned. The Fat Lady rolled her eyes and swung forward to admit them.

“Hi, Harry!” said Romilda Vane, the moment they had climbed through the portrait hole. “Fancy a gillywater?”

Hermione gave Harry a “what-did-I-tell-you?” look over her shoulder.

“No, thanks,” said Harry quickly, backing into Draco. “I don’t like it much.”

“Well, take these anyway,” said Romilda, thrusting a box into his hands. “Chocolate Cauldrons, they’ve got Firewhiskey in them. My gran sent them to me, but I don’t like them.”

“Oh, I love Chocolate Cauldrons,” Draco said in a bright voice. “Can I share them with you, babe?”

“Of course,” Harry said, kissing Draco’s cheek. “I’ll remember to get you some for the Christmas party.”

Romilda’s smile soured.

Draco turned back to her, his smile bright and fixed on his face.

“I’ve been trying to get Harry to get me these for months but he always forgets,” he said airily. “He tried getting some for our anniversary but got the orders mixed up. How funny?”

“Yes,” Romilda said stiffly, “funny…”

They walked away quickly to where Hermione was waiting, smirking slightly.

“Don’t forget to throw those out,” Sarah reminded Harry, who grimaced down at the chocolates.

“Told you,” said Hermione succinctly, laughing brightly. “I don’t know how to get them to understand. Maybe you and Draco should start snogging in the Great – “

But her face suddenly turned blank; she had just spotted Ron and Lavender, who were entwined in the same armchair.

“Well, good night, Harry,” said Hermione, though it was only seven o’clock in the evening, and she left for the girl’s dormitory.

Harry and Draco bid Sarah goodnight and headed for the boy’s dormitory. As Sarah was leaving to follow Hermione, she made a detour and flicked Ron on the back of the head. He separated from Lavender with a suctioning noise and stared at her.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing,” Sarah said. “Except you’re making quite the scene not appropriate of a prefect. Goodnight, wanker.”

***

There seemed to be no hope of Hermione and Ron making up before the holidays begun, although Sarah didn’t really blame Hermione. She was glad that Ron seemed to be happy but she was furious that he had so carelessly hurt Hermione and continued to do so quite knowingly. Sarah knew that Harry still had hopes.

However, they sank after enduring a Transfiguration lesson with the pair the next day. Harry recounted to Sarah and Draco at lunch how Hermione had laughed at Ron’s disastrous first attempt at changing the colour of his eyebrows, somehow managing to give himself a handlebar moustache; Ron had retaliated by doing a cruel impression of Hermione jumping up and down in her seat every time Professor McGonagall asked a question, which Lavender and Parvati found deeply amusing and which reduced Hermione to the verge of tears again.

Sarah had made the effort to smack Ron around the back of the head as she passed him, causing Seamus, Neville and Dean to break out into fits of laughter.

“The Burrow is going to be horrible,” complained Harry. “All he’s going to be talking about is Lavender. And Hermione was supposed to go as well!”

Sarah and Draco shifted awkwardly in their seats.

“What?” Harry said, noticing their guilty expressions.

“We’re not staying at the Burrow the entire time,” Sarah admitted. “I’ve told Hermione she can stay with me. We’ll be at Grimmauld Place.”

Draco nodded along. “Me too, I don’t want to be anywhere near Ron as much as I can.”

Harry looked extremely relieved.

“Oh, thank Merlin,” he breathed. “I thought the plan was still for all of us to go to the Burrow. That’s brilliant, we’ll go over on Christmas Day, then.”

“You know you’ll still have to tell Ron,” Sarah said, calmly taking a sip of tea. “You’re the only one talking to him.”

Harry groaned and dropped his head to the table.

“Honestly, I feel like this happens at least once a year,” Draco observed, running his fingers through Harry’s curls. “Someone fights, Ron and Hermione stop talking to each other, and then we all separate trying to keep ourselves sane.”

Sarah nodded along thoughtfully. “You’d think they’d have learnt by now.”

“Maybe they just need this really big fight to come back together?” Harry suggested in a hopeful voice. “And then they’ll be less likely to fight to this extent again.”

He looked up at Sarah and Draco’s silence and disbelieving looks.

“Have you met them?” Sarah asked sceptically. “They do nothing _but_ fight.”

“It’s really the foundation of their relationship,” Draco added.

“Arguing is quite beneficial for mental development,” Sarah inputted.

“Tests your ability for logical thinking.”

“And shows how much you care enough to spend the time arguing instead of agreeing.”

“Maybe they’ll end up having quite a strong relationship – “

“If they ever realise they fancy each other.“

“ – and stop biting each other’s heads off before they get the opportunity to snog.”

Harry watched their back and forth conversation with wide eyes.

“Do you guys actually read each other’s minds or are you just weird?” he interrupted.

Sarah and Draco stared at each other contemplatively.

“Just weird,” they said in unison, grinning brightly.

“Where’s Luna?” Harry muttered to the ceiling. “I feel like I’d actually understand her nonsense.”

“Hey, don’t be rude to Luna, she’s lovely and unique and should be cherished,” scolded Sarah, swatting Harry’s head.

“Oi, stop!” he said. “I know Luna’s unique. I appreciate her very much.”

“Thank you, Harry. That’s a very kind thing to say.”

The girl in question had just appeared beside them at the table. She slid into the seat beside Sarah.

“I just saw Hermione,” she said, frowning slightly at something over Draco’s shoulder. “She seemed quite upset. She said something about Ron Weasley…”

“Yeah, they’ve had a row,” said Harry.

“He says very funny things sometimes, doesn’t he?” said Luna in her misty voice. “But he can be a bit unkind. I noticed that last year.”

“Yes, he can,” agreed Sarah. “We’re trying to train him to think before he speaks.”

“That’s a wonderful idea,” Luna said brightly. “I also think you should get him to clear his Wrackspurts. Daddy says they always make you say things you might not mean.”

“I’ll be sure to mention that to him,” Sarah promised.

“Have you been enjoying the term, Luna?” Draco asked, tightening his fingers in Harry’s hair as the other boy struggled to cover up a laugh.

“Oh, it’s been all right,” said Luna. “A bit lonely without the D.A. Ginny’s been nice, though. She stopped two boys in our Transfiguration class calling me ‘Loony’ the other day.”

Sarah frowned. “That’s appalling,” she said. “You’re always welcome to study with us, Luna. As long as you can deal with Hermione and Draco’s pedanticness.”

“That’s all right, Sarah, thank you for the offer,” Luna said sweetly. “But if I were there you wouldn’t be able to talk about whatever it is you need to keep private.”

Sarah was about to reply when Ron suddenly dropped into the seat beside Harry. All four of them looked at him in question as he began piling food onto his plate.

“There’s some awkwardness here,” Luna stated dreamily. “I think I’ll be leaving now. Goodbye, everyone.”

Sarah distractedly muttered a goodbye while she continued to stare at Ron.

“Not to be overly rude,” Draco said slowly. “But, erm, what are you doing?”

“Eating dinner,” Ron said, his mouth full of food.

Sarah scrunched up her nose. “Yes, we definitely see that,” she said dryly. “But why with us?”

“What?” Ron swallowed. “Am I not allowed to sit with my friends?”

“You haven’t seemed too inclined to treat us as such for some time now,” Sarah pointed out. “I don’t think you quite notice Harry’s presence anymore.”

Ron blushed slightly and shrugged. “I’ve been a bit preoccupied.”

“Obviously,” drawled Draco.

At some point during their conversation, Hermione had entered the Hall and was now sitting alone at the end of the table, playing with her stew. Sarah noticed Ron looking at her furtively.

“You could say sorry,” suggested Sarah bluntly.

“What, and get attacked by another flock of canaries?” muttered Ron.

“Actually they were goldfinches,” Sarah corrected.

The boys looked at her like she was quite mad before Harry continued on the conversation.

“What did you have to imitate her for?” he asked.

“She laughed at my moustache!”

“So did I, it was the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen.”

But Ron did not seem to have heard; Lavender had just arrived with Parvati. Squeezing herself in between Harry and Ron and causing Draco to be pushed up against the person next to him, Lavender flung her arms around Ron’s neck.

“Hi, guys,” said Parvati, who, like the rest of them, seemed faintly embarrassed and bored by the behaviour of the lovebirds.

“Hi,” said Harry, pushing Ron slightly to give Draco more room. “How’re you? You’re staying at Hogwarts, then? I heard your parents wanted you to leave.”

“I managed to talk them out of it for the time being,” said Parvati. “That Katie thing really freaked them out, but as there hasn’t been anything since…Oh, hi, Hermione!”

Parvati positively beamed. Sarah guessed that she was feeling guilty for having laughed at Hermione during their Transfiguration lesson. Sarah felt a hand land on her shoulder. She pulled her eyes away from the disgusting display that was Ron and Lavender to look up at Hermione.

“Hi, Parvati!” said Hermione. “I just came to grab Sarah. Are you going to Slughorn’s party tonight?”

“No invite,” said Parvati gloomily. “I’d love to go, though, it sounds like it’s going to be really good…You’re going, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I’m meeting Cormac at eight, and we’re – “

Several things happened at once: first, Sarah choked on her mouthful of scalding tea and barely managed to stop from spraying at across the table onto Harry, and second, there was a noise like a plug being withdrawn from a sink and Ron surfaced. Hermione acted as though she had not seen or heard anything.

“ – we’re going up to the party together.”

“Cormac?” said Parvati. “Cormac McLaggen, you mean?”

“That’s right,” said Hermione sweetly. “The one who _almost_ ” – she put a great deal of emphasis on the word – “became Gryffindor Keeper.”

“Are you going out with him, then?” asked Parvati, wide-eyed.

“Oh – yes – didn’t you know?” said Hermione, with a most un-Hermione giggle.

“No!” said Parvati, looking positively agog at this piece of gossip. “Wow, you like your Quidditch player, don’t you? First Krum, then McLaggen…”

“I like _really good_ Quidditch players,” Hermione corrected her, still smiling. “Well, see you…Got to go and get ready for the party…Sarah, you coming?”

“Oh – er – yes – um,” floundered Sarah, getting rather ungracefully to her feet. She knew her face matched Draco’s shocked expression. “I just need to speak with Blaise for a moment, if you don’t mind?”

They walked off, leaving behind the dumbstruck faces of Harry and Draco, the gossiping forms of Lavender and Parvati, and Ron with his strangely blank expression.

“When were you going to tell me this little fact?” Sarah hissed to Hermione as they left the Hall after talking with Blaise at the Slytherin table. “ _McLaggen_? Hermione, you _hate_ the guy. Merlin, you _Confunded him_!”

“Yes, I know,” snapped Hermione. “He was the only person I could think of who would really annoy Ron.”

“ _Hermione_ …”

“Stop judging me. No one can be more disappointed in myself than me right now.”

***

“I’m really regretting this.”

Hermione was tugging at a loose lock of her hair. Sarah swatted her hand away before it could destroy the gentle curls Sarah had spent ages fighting into place.

“You were the one who decided to go along with this _stupid_ plan – “

“I know!” said Hermione. “Why didn’t you stop me? You’re meant to be my conscience, Sarah.”

“I only found out about it two hours ago!” Sarah argued. “And _me_ … _your conscience_. Merlin, that’s a recipe for disaster.”

“Oh shut up, you know what I mean,” Hermione grouched. “Do you think I could get away with leaving early? I could say I’m ill…”

“I think I really will be ill if I have to play nice with _McLaggen_ …” Sarah gagged slightly. “Where on _earth_ are Harry and Draco?”

The two girls were waiting at the edge of the entrance hall as pairs trotted past them toward Slughorn’s office.

“Aren’t you also waiting for Blaise?” Hermione asked. “Why did you choose to go with him?”

“It’s payback for a dare he made me do a while back,” Sarah muttered distractedly, standing on her tiptoes to see over the top of the student’s heads. “There they are!”

She pointed triumphantly toward the marble staircase, where Harry and Draco were descending.

“Hurry up, you arseholes!” she shouted, waving an arm wildly.

“Sarah!” Hermione scolded, ducking to avoid being hit. “Oh no…”

McLaggen had just appeared and caught sight of Hermione. He came marching toward them.

“Hermione,” he greeted, “don’t you look simply ravishing?”

Sarah grimaced and mimed puking behind his back.

Hermione’s eyebrow twitched but she managed not to smile.

“You look very good yourself,” she said to McLaggen.

Thankfully, Harry and Draco reached them at that moment, with Blaise popping up a second behind them.

“Thank goodness you’re here,” Sarah breathed. “I was beginning to worry that they would run out of hors d’oeuvres before we arrived.”

“Why are you so positive there will be hors d’oeuvres?” Blaise asked, taking Sarah’s arm in his.

“I may have asked the house-elves to include some…” Sarah admitted. “Hermione, darling, I’ll see you inside. Come on boys.”

She began to lead the three boys away toward the office while Hermione looked hopelessly after them. The sounds of laughter, music and loud conversation were growing louder with every step they took.

Whether it had been built that way or because he had used magical trickery to make it so, Slughorn’s office was much larger than the usual teacher’s study. The ceiling and walls had been draped with emerald, crimson and gold hangings so that it looked as though they were all inside a vast tent. The room was crowded and stuffy and bathed in the red light cast by an ornate golden lamp dangling from the centre of the ceiling in which real fairies were fluttering, each a brilliant speck of light. Loud singing accompanied by what sounded like mandolins issued from a distant corner; a haze of pipe smoke hung over several elderly warlocks deep in conversation, and a number of house-elves were negotiating their way squeakily though the forest of knees, obscured by the heavy silver platters of food they were bearing, so that they looked like little roving tables.

“Harry, m’boy!” boomed Slughorn, almost as soon as Harry and Draco had squeezed in through the door. “Come in, come in, so many people I’d like you to meet!”

Sarah tried escaping to the closest drinks table but Harry kept a firm grip on her free arm, shooting her a warning look before turning back to Slughorn.

“I guess we’re stuck here for a while,” she said despairingly with a sad look toward the piles of finger foods wafting enticing scents her way.

“Good thing you were brought up for nonsense like this,” Blaise muttered to her, smiling slightly at a passing partygoer.

“Doesn’t mean I wish to inflict it upon myself,” she murmured back. “Surely we sneak away – “

“And this is another promising pupil of mine!” cried Slughorn loudly, suddenly right in front of Sarah. She narrowly avoided being smacked by his waving hand as he indicated toward her. His red cheeks indicated that he had been enjoying the proffered drinks for a while. “Sarah Deaumont, such a bright mind! Sarah, this is Eldred Worple, I was just talking to him about Harry and Draco – “

Slughorn had warmed considerably to Draco after he had shown his Potions prowess, managing to beat Harry during some of the lessons despite Harry’s use of the Half-Blood Prince’s notes. The professor’s liking of the blond had only increased after Draco had scoffed at a mention of his father and declared, “I have every intention of doing something with my life, _not_ ending up in Azkaban for following a madman.”

Sarah chatted politely with the Warpid – Wongle – fellow until a long mane of brown hair caught her eye.

“I’m incredibly sorry but I’ve just seen someone I need to speak with,” Sarah said, already tugging Blaise away. “Enjoy your evening!”

She vaguely heard Harry and Draco giving similar excuses but she was already fighting through the crowd, pushing Blaise in front of her to use his tall, large form to their benefit.

“Hermione! _Hermione!”_

“Sarah! There you are, thank goodness!”

“What happened to you?” asked Sarah, for Hermione looked distinctly dishevelled, rather as though she had just fought her way out of a thicket of Devil’s Snare.

“Oh, I’ve just escaped – I mean, I’ve just left Cormac,” she said. “under the mistletoe,” she added in explanation, as Sarah continued to look questioningly at her.

Blaise snorted rather inelegantly.

“Serves you right for coming with him,” he told her severely.

“Believe me, _I know_ ,” muttered Hermione. “McLaggen makes Grawp look like a gentleman. Let’s go this way, we’ll be able to see him coming, he’s so tall…”

“Hermione, darling, I could have warned you against McLaggen before all of this,” Blaise said commiseratingly.

“What do you know about McLaggen?” Sarah asked curiously as they ducked around a dancing couple.

Blaise shuddered slightly. “He was one of the few people I regret getting with,” he said. “It was at a party the Ravenclaw’s threw last year. Horrid person, he is.”

Sarah gaped at him. “ _You and McLaggen?”_ she gasped.

Blaise raised a perfect eyebrow. “He may be as thick as a troll but he _is_ attractive, Sarah. And trust me, I wasn’t thinking with my brain at that point.”

“I am so disgusted right now,” muttered Sarah just as Harry and Draco managed to break through the crowd to them.

“Why are you disgusted?” Draco asked her. “Is it McLaggen?”

“Yes,” shuddered Sarah. “Blaise shagged him.”

Draco turned to stare at Blaise in horror. “That’s low, even for you.”

“Are you forgetting that he’s here as _my_ date?” Hermione asked them.

“Of course not, darling,” Sarah said, patting Hermione on the arm. “But we know you’re not doing it for the end result.”

“Ten o’clock,” Harry said suddenly in warning. Sarah’s eyes shot up to see McLaggen’s brown hair bobbing toward them.

“Go, go,” she hissed at Hermione, pushing the other girl back into the crowd.

“Seen Hermione?” asked McLaggen, forcing his way through the throng a minute later.

“No, sorry,” said Harry, grabbing Draco’s arm. “I just realised I haven’t gotten you a drink yet.”

The pair disappeared so fast they seemed to have Disapparated. McLaggen turned to Blaise and Sarah, roving his eyes up and down their bodies.

“I remember you,” he said to Blaise. “If you’re ever interested in round two, let me know. Deaumont’s more than welcome to join.”

“That’s horrendous,” Sarah grimaced. She didn’t wait to hear his reply and instead led Blaise away. “Blaise, we need to find you someone worthwhile to hook up with so that I can forget you ever laid with that wanker.”

“Oh, I like the sound of that,” Blaise hummed. “Do you see any twins?”

Sarah rolled her eyes and finally made her way to the hors d’oeuvres. Snagging a plateful each, she and Blaise shuffled over to a relatively quiet corner and scoped out the room.

“Honestly, I was expecting this to be much more appalling,” Sarah admitted, nibbling on a quiche.

“You always have low expectations,” Blaise commented. “It’s part of your endearing pessimistic nature.”

“I can always rely on you to make me feel valued,” Sarah smirked. “Also, look, Harry’s been drawn into conversation with Trelawny. I wonder how he managed that?”

Blaise watched the pair with an intrigued expression on his face. “I wonder where Draco managed to escape to?” he said.

“Shall we save Harry?” Sarah asked.

“No, leave him,” Draco’s voice suddenly said. “The bastard tried to keep me there. He deserves to suffer for a while.”

“Good to know you two have such a healthy and loving relationship,” Blaise said dryly, scowling slightly as Draco stole one of his bruschetta pieces.

Blaise’s dark eyes suddenly lit up. He thrust his plate at Draco.

“If you two will excuse me,” he said, smirking brightly. “I believe I have just set eyes upon tonight’s entertainment.”

He sauntered away, plastering a winning smile on his handsome face as he approached a group of pretty young women, each other whom eyed him up and down appreciatively before beaming at him.

“Well, he’s going to enjoy himself thoroughly,” Sarah commented.

“Lucky him,” Draco replied, popping an olive in his mouth. “Do you think I’ve made Harry suffer long enough?”

“Hmm,” Sarah contemplated Harry’s pained expression for a moment as he desperately tried to get Sarah or Draco’s attention, “yes, I do believe so. Go save your boyfriend.”

Draco smiled fondly and darted into the crowd, returning minutes later with Harry on his arm.

“Traitors,” the dark-haired boy scowled, taking Sarah’s plate roughly from her hands and munching loudly on the bread, “the pair of you. Just leaving me there to listen to Trelawny’s ramblings. I saw you watching!”

“We had other matters to discuss,” Sarah said innocently.

Just then, a small commotion caught their attention. Vincent Crabbe was being dragged by the ear toward Slughorn by Argus Filch.

“Come on,” Sarah said quickly, grabbing both boy’s arms and leading them closer until they were directly beside Slughorn.

“Professor Slughorn,” wheezed Filch, his jowls aquiver and the maniacal light of mischief-detection in his bulging eyes, “I discovered this boy lurking in an upstairs corridor. He claims to have been invited to your party and to have been delayed in setting out. Did you issue him with an invitation?”

Crabbe pulled himself free of Filch’s grip, looking furious.

“All right, I wasn’t invited!” he said angrily. “I was trying to gate-crash, happy?”

“No, I’m not!” said Filch, a statement at complete odds with the glee on his face. “You’re in trouble, you are! Didn’t the headmaster say that night-time prowling’s out, unless you’ve got permission, didn’t he, eh?”

“That’s all right, Argus, that’s all right,” said Slughorn, waving a hand. “It’s Christmas, and it’s not a crime to want to come to a party. Just this once, we’ll forget any punishment; you may stay, Vincent.”

Filch’s expression of outraged disappointment was perfectly predictable; but why, Sarah wondered, watching him, did Crabbe look almost equally unhappy? And why was Snape, who was beside Slughorn, looking at Crabbe as though both angry and…was it possible?...a little afraid? Sarah was immediately intrigued.

Sarah peered closer at the boy as he fixed a smile on his face and thanked Slughorn. He was looking distinctly ill. He had dark shadows under his eyes and a distinctly greyish tinge to his skin.

“I’d like a word with you, Crabbe,” said Snape suddenly.

“Oh, now, Severus,” said Slughorn, hiccupping, “it’s Christmas, don’t be too hard – “

“I am his Head of House, and I shall decide how hard, or otherwise, to be,” said Snape curtly. “Follow me, Crabbe.”

They left, Snape leading the way, Crabbe looking resentful. Sarah stood there for a moment before turning to Harry and Draco, both of whom had identical curious looks on their faces.

“Let’s go,” she said.

It was much easier getting out of the party than getting in. When they were in the corridor, Harry produced his Invisibility Cloak.

“Why were you just carrying that around with you?” Draco hissed as they all huddled under and began to creep down the hallway on silent feet.

“I wanted the ability to escape if we needed it,” muttered Harry.

Sarah pressed her ear against door after door as they dashed down the corridor until, with a great jolt of excitement and curiosity, she heard voices behind the last classroom’s door.

“…cannot afford mistakes, Vincent, because if you are expelled – “

“I didn’t have anything to do with it, all right?”

“I hope you are telling the truth, because it was both clumsy and foolish.”

“For the last time, I didn’t do it, okay? That Bell girl must’ve had an enemy no one knows about – don’t look at me like that! I know what you’re doing, I’m not stupid, but it won’t work – I can stop you!”

There was a pause and then Snape said quietly, “Ah…Bellatrix has been teaching you Occlumency, I see. What thoughts are you trying to conceal from your master, Vincent?”

“I’m not trying to conceal anything from _him_ , I just want _you_ butting in!”

“Listen to me,” said Snape, his voice so low now that Sarah had to push her ear very closely against the crack to hear. “I am trying to help you. What is your plan?”

“It’s none of your business!”

“If you tell me what you are trying to do, I can assist you – “

“I’ve got all the assistance I need, thanks, I’m not alone!”

“You certainly were alone tonight, which was foolish in the extreme, wandering the corridors without lookouts or backup, these are elementary mistakes – “

“I would’ve had Goyle with me if you hadn’t put him in detention!”

“Keep your voice down!” spat Snape, for Crabbe’s voice had risen excitedly. “If your friend Goyle intends to pass his Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L this time around, he will need to work a little harder than he is doing at pres – “

“What does it matter?” said Crabbe. “Defense Against the Dark Arts – it’s all a joke, isn’t it, an act? Like any of us need protecting against the Dark Arts – “

“It is an act that is crucial to succeed, Vincent!” said Snape. “Where do you think I would have been all these years, if I had not known how to act? Now listen to me! You are being incautious, wandering around at night, getting yourself caught, and if you are placing your reliance in assistants like Goyle – “

“They’re not the only ones, I’ve got other people on my side, better people!”

“Then why not confide in me, and I can – “

“I know what you’re up to! You want to steal my glory!”

There was another pause, then Snape said coldly, “You are speaking like a child. I quite understand that your father’s capture and imprisonment has upset you, but – “

Sarah, Harry and Draco barely had a second’s warning, they heard Crabbe’s footsteps on the other side of the door and flung themselves out of the way just as it burst open; Crabbe was striding away down the corridor, past the open door of Slughorn’s office, around the distant corner, and out of sight.

Hardly daring to breathe, the three of them remained squished together on the floor as Snape emerged slowly from the classroom. His expression unfathomable, he returned to the party.


	7. Chapter Seven

“So Snape was offering to help him? He was definitely _offering to help him?”_

“If you ask me that once more,” said Harry, “I’m going to stick this bean – “

“I’m only checking!” said Ron.

Sarah, Harry and Ron were lounging in a compartment on the train back to King’s Cross Station. Hermione and Draco had gone to the prefect carriage for a while and Sarah was really regretting not joining them, even if she wasn’t allowed. Ron had been extremely confused when Harry and Sarah had recounted what they had overheard at Slughorn’s Christmas party.

“ _Yes, Snape was offering to help him!”_ said Harry.

Sarah frowned in thought and threw a green Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Bean into the air, catching it in her mouth. She grimaced when she realised it was grass clippings.

“I just want to know what Crabbe’s doing,” she said, swallowing the bean reluctantly. “Have you noticed he’s been less antagonistic this year?”

Harry and Ron thought for a moment before Harry nodded. “That is odd, actually. I would have thought he’d have taken the first opportunity to make _some_ comment about Ron and Lavender – “

“Oi, leave me out of it,” Ron said, biting into a Pumpkin Pasty. “What does it matter if the git isn’t causing issues? I’d say that’s a good thing.”

“Well, yes…” Sarah said in consideration. “But remember that moment in Diagon Alley before school? Where Crabbe was in Borgin and Burkes?”

“That doesn’t necessarily mean anything, Sarah. Maybe he just wanted to buy something creepy to match his creepy personality,” Ron shrugged.

“I just think that it’s odd we see Crabbe skulking around the very same shop which housed the necklace that cursed Katie,” Sarah said. “It’s too much of a coincidence.”

“You think Crabbe was the one who gave Katie the necklace?” Harry asked.

“No, he had detention that day, Theo told me,” Sarah replied. “But I definitely think he had something to do with it.”

“I think you have a point,” Harry said. “We should – “

“Can we please just drop it?” Ron whined. “All this talk about Crabbe is putting me off my food.”

Reluctantly, Sarah and Harry dropped it.

“Where’s your leech?” Sarah asked instead, snagging one of Harry’s liquorice wands.

Ron glowered at her. “Don’t call Lavender that,” he said.

“Am I wrong?” she said, raising an eyebrow. “All you two seem to do is suck each other’s faces. I’m surprised they haven’t been ripped off yet.”

Ron threw a pasty at her and it ricocheted off her head.

“Shut up,” he grumbled. Suddenly, he slouched lower in his seat. “Actually, it’s getting quite tiring if I’m being honest. It’s all physical with her.”

“Ew, I do _not_ want details!” Sarah said quickly.

“Me neither!” Harry exclaimed.

“Piss off,” sniped Ron, rolling his eyes at them. “I didn’t mean like _that_. Just, every second she’s latched onto me. I never thought I’d miss homework but I do!”

Sarah and Harry glanced at each other and snickered.

“Ronald, in all seriousness,” Sarah said severely, “why are you with Lavender? You don’t really have anything in common, you spend all your time snogging, all she wants to do when you’re not snogging is gossip – Am I missing anything, Harry?” she asked the dark-haired boy.

Harry shook his head. “No, I think you got everything. Add in that she hates Chess as well.”

“Right, thank you,” Sarah said. “She hates Chess. So _why_ date her? There’s so much more to dating than just snogging and potentially mild groping.”

Ron scrunched up his nose. “I really don’t want the image of you and my brother groping each other.”

“Then don’t think about it,” Sarah stated. “Besides, we upgraded from mild groping ages ago, we’re full-on _shagging_ – “

“STOP!” cried Ron, covering his ears.

Sarah laughed in delight and waited until Ron had recovered enough to remove his hands.

“Honestly,” he said, getting back on topic. “I have no idea. It’s just nice, I guess…?”

“Nice isn’t a good enough reason to date someone, Ron,” Harry said. “Look at Draco and I: we both love Quidditch so we’re more likely to want to spend time together flying. Draco loves homework enough to be willing to help me even though I’m less than passionate about it” – Sarah snorted loudly at that – “We both like spending time together and a lot of it just includes him reading and me daydreaming. But we’re happy,” Harry finished.

“That’s adorable,” cooed Sarah. “My one true pairing in life.”

“Yeah, but you and Draco have been together for years,” Ron countered. “I mean, you were practically dating before you were dating.”

Harry shook his head. “We had to figure out our new dynamic when we started dating. I still get on Draco’s nerves all the time but we care enough to talk about it.”

“Ronald, the truth is, I don’t see much communication in your relationship,” Sarah said bluntly. “Fred and I talk most nights and it’s usually just about what’s been happening in our lives. Sometimes we only send a ‘goodnight’ or ‘good morning’ and nothing else. But for us, it shows that we love each other so much that we think about the other at the start and end of our days.”

“That was incredibly sappy,” Ron said, eyebrows raised at her. “No one would ever believe me if I told them you said that.”

“Exactly,” smirked Sarah.

“Ron, you have to figure out what you want in your relationship,” Harry concluded. “If all you want is the physical stuff, then okay. Just make sure Lavender knows that.”

“And if you want something more worthwhile and fulfilling,” Sarah added, “maybe you need to be looking somewhere other than Lavender.”

Ron frowned thoughtfully and kept quiet for a while. Sarah started reading a book Fred had sent her and Harry was flipping through the Prince’s textbook.

After about an hour of this, Ron suddenly looked up and groaned slightly, his mouth stretching into a forced smile.

“Talk about the leech…” Sarah muttered, leaning her head backwards to look at the door of the compartment upside down. Lavender was standing in front of it mouthing something at Ron. From her angle, Sarah couldn’t decipher what the other girl was saying. Lavender than breathed on the glass and traced a heart with her and Ron’s initials inside it before kissing the glass and walking away.

Sarah turned to look at Ron in horror.

“That has to be unsanitary,” Harry muttered, grimacing at the clouded glass.

“She’s mad…” Ron said faintly.

“No shit,” Sarah stated. She swung her legs down from the seat so she was sitting normally. “That has honestly got to be one of the weirdest things I’ve ever seen someone do.”

“Oh no…” Ron muttered.

Hermione and Draco had just appeared in front of the glass. Hermione took one look at the picture on the glass and scowled, turning around and storming away. Draco looked at them apologetically before disappearing after her.

“Great,” Harry grumbled. “Now I don’t get to sit with my boyfriend.”

Sarah stood up.

“I’m going to go and diffuse that situation,” she announced. “Harry, do you mind taking my trunk with you onto the platform? I’m sure Sirius and Remus will be there to help.”

Harry nodded and Sarah left quickly, hurrying down the corridor in the direction Hermione and Draco went. She peered into the compartments until she found the distinctive flash of blond hair and mane of bushy brown locks. Pulling the door open, she entered and dropped into the seat beside Draco.

“Hello, darlings,” she greeted.

“Hey, Sarah.”

“Hello.”

“How was the prefect’s cabin?” she asked, twiddling her thumbs slightly.

Hermione was staring out the window and didn’t reply. Draco cleared his throat and descended into a brief summary of what they had been doing for the past few hours.

“Harry was disappointed he wouldn’t be able to sit with you,” Sarah revealed. “I think he’s a bit lonely.”

“You can do sit with him, Draco,” Hermione suddenly said. “Don’t feel as if you need to keep me company.”

Draco frowned slightly but shook his head. “I want to sit with you,” he said.

Hermione smiled slightly at him. “Just go,” she said encouragingly. “I’ll survive.”

“I wanted to talk to Hermione, anyway,” Sarah added. “No boys allowed. Love you, but go away.”

Draco laughed and kissed her forehead. “Okay, fine,” he said, getting to his feet. “But if I get sick of them I’m coming straight back here.”

“Duly noted,” Sarah said as she pushed him out of the door with her feet. “Go cuddle your boyfriend.”

Draco stuck his tongue out at her before waving and walking away.

Hermione turned back to the window as Sarah settled more comfortably into her seat. After a few minutes of silence, Hermione sighed and said, “I know what you’re going to say.”

“What am I going to say?”

“You’re going to say that what I saw wasn’t what it looked like,” Hermione said dryly, turning to face Sarah.

“Oh, no, it was exactly what it looked like,” Sarah said, scrunching her nose up in disgust. “I’m sure there has to be a rule about that, it was absolutely horrendous.”

“Ron would have enjoyed it,” Hermione said.

“Actually no,” Sarah claimed. “He was quite against the entire thing. Didn’t even argue with me when I called her a leech.”

Hermione snorted and looked at her in disbelief.

“You didn’t.”

“Of course I fucking did. Have you _met_ me?”

Hermione laughed loudly.

“In all seriousness, though,” Sarah went on, “Harry and I did have a lovely chat with dear Ronald and I think he’s going to be making some beneficial decisions in the future.”

“Sarah, I appreciate you trying to help but I truly don’t care anymore,” Hermione said.

“This is purely for selfish reasons,” countered Sarah. “I cannot bear to witness one more horrifying minute of them devouring each other. It’s been quite pernicious to my overall wellbeing.”

Sarah was extremely pleased that she managed to make Hermione laugh.

“You’re mad, Sarah,” Hermione giggled.

“As a hatter,” she smirked.

***

“Fred!”

“Sarah!”

“George!”

Sarah looked up from Fred’s embrace to glare at his twin. George was smiling innocently at her from his spot in the doorway, looking very pleased with himself for interrupting Sarah and Fred’s heartfelt reunion.

“Don’t glare at me, Sarah,” George pouted. “I was feeling excluded.”

“Let me have a moment alone with my boyfriend before I come to adhere to your dependencies,” she said, pouting at him in return. “Unless you’d rather get an eyeful of something _completely_ inappropriate?”

George was out of the doorway so fast it looked like he had Apparated. Considering that the twins were legally allowed to use magic, it wouldn’t have been surprising if he had.

“I missed you,” breathed Fred, holding her tighter and peppering kisses across her face.

She cupped his face and pulled him into a breathtaking kiss.

“I missed you, too,” she said when they separated.

“How long do we have until we have to be downstairs?” Fred asked, smirking down at her.

“About enough time for an enjoyable snog,” Sarah replied, already wrapping her arms around his neck. “I think Sirius will come up to investigate if we take too long, though.”

They made it downstairs twenty minutes later. Sirius, George and Draco openly smirked at them as Harry stepped forward to pat down Sarah’s hair.

“You guys are ridiculous,” he sat brightly.

Sarah scoffed. “Like you weren’t whinging about not seeing Draco for two hours earlier.”

Harry’s cheeks pinkened. “That’s different,” he claimed. “I just didn’t want to potentially be stuck with Ron and Lavender.”

“Uh-huh,” Sarah said in a disbelieving tone. “We definitely believe you.”

Harry glowered at her and greeted Fred as Sarah skipped over to embrace Sirius and Remus.

“How was school?” Remus asked, smiling down at her.

“Surprisingly uneventful,” Sarah said. “My money’s on the end of next term, though.”

“Don’t jinx it,” Sirius said brightly. “We’ve been well, thanks for asking.”

“You didn’t give me the opportunity to!” exclaimed Sarah.

“Well you would have if you hadn’t immediately disappeared upstairs with your boyfriend,” countered Sirius, one dark eyebrow rising.

“Actually, I was already upstairs when Fred arrived,” Sarah corrected him. “And _you_ were too busy snogging Moony to notice.”

Sirius placed a hand on his heart. “I would never,” he declared dramatically. When Remus turned away to say hello to Hermione, Sirius winked at Sarah. “Moony’s a good snog.”

“I don’t want to hear about it, Pads,” Sarah said, shaking her head.

“That reminds me,” Sirius lowered his voice so only she could hear it. “You never mentioned if you managed to transform.”

Immediately, Sarah’s eyes lit up and she whispered excitedly, “I did! It was at the end of last year but with everything that happened, I forget to tell you.”

“So?” Sirius asked, his grey eyes gleaming. “What are you?”

“I’ll show you!” Sarah declared. “Come on.”

“We’re just going to – er – get something!” Sirius called to the group hovering in the parlour of Grimmauld Place.

Without waiting for a response, the pair dashed away to a quiet room on the first floor.

Once Sirius had firmly closed the door behind him, Sarah closed her eyes and concentrated, trying to remember what it had felt like to transform all those months ago. With a jolting sensation, she dropped to the ground on her small white paws and meowed up at Sirius.

“Aw, you’re so _cute!”_ he cooed, leaning down to pat her. She swiped at him and he laughed. “Honestly, I was expecting something larger.” Sarah hissed at him and he sat back on his heels, smirking. “We’re going to have to come up with a name for you,” he declared. “What about Whiskers?”

Sarah stared at him, unimpressed.

“Don’t judge, it’s quite difficult,” Sirius scolded. He tapped his finger against his lip. “Paws? Queenie? Fluffy? No, okay. How about…Nyx? Because your fur’s black?”

Sarah purred loudly and rubbed against Sirius’ leg.

“Nyx it is, pup,” he said.

Sarah transformed back and jumped on Sirius’ back, causing him to grunt slightly.

“I hope Sphinx won’t be upset by me wandering the room in that form,” she said as Sirius carried her back down the hallway. “You need to send me more letters so that he has more work to do.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Sirius said. Sarah could practically feel him rolling his eyes at her.

“Oi, hurry up you two!” Harry shouted from the parlour.

“Molly is waiting for us all,” Remus added. “She mentioned that Bill and Fleur would be – Why is Sarah on your back?”

Sirius huffed and puffed as he lugged Sarah into the parlour, dropping her unceremoniously from his back. Draco’s quick reflexes stopped her from hitting the ground.

“Wanker,” Sarah muttered, glaring at Sirius who blew her a kiss.

Remus watched them with a half-amused, half-exasperated expression on his face.

“Let’s leave before a duel breaks out,” he suggested with a warning look at Sirius. “Fred, George, do you mind taking Sarah and Hermione? Sirius and I will take Harry and Draco.”

No matter how many times Sarah did, Apparation still sucked. Fred steadied her when they landed in the Burrow’s garden.

“For such a graceful person you’re horrible at landings,” he snickered, slipping his hand into hers.

“I am much more proficient with a broom,” she replied haughtily, sticking her nose in the air. “Other means of travel are plebeian.”

“You won’t be saying that in a few months when you can legally Apparate,” Fred disagreed.

“We’ll see,” Sarah sniffed.

They walked through the back door to find Ron and Ginny peeling sprouts in front of the kitchen sink.

“Aw, George, look at this. They’re using knives and everything. Bless them,” Fred cooed.

“I’ll be seventeen in two- and a-bit months’ time,” said Ron grumpily, “and then I’ll be able to do it by magic!”

“But meanwhile,” said George, sitting down at the kitchen table and putting his feet upon it, “we can enjoy watching you demonstrate the use of a – whoops-a-daisy!”

“You made me do that!” said Ron angrily, sucking his cut thumb. “You wait until I’m seventeen – “

“I’m sure you’ll dazzle us all with hitherto unsuspected magical skills,” yawned Fred, nuzzling the back of Sarah’s neck.

“And speaking of hitherto unsuspected skills, Ronald,” said George, “what is this we hear from Ginny about you and a young lady called – unless out information is faulty – Lavender Brown?”

Ron turned a little pink and went to glare at Ginny, only to see that she had disappeared from the kitchen. Sarah noticed that Hermione, Draco and Harry had also slunk away.

“Mind your own business,” snapped Ron.

“What a snappy retort,” said Fred. “I really don’t know how you think of them. No, what we wanted to know was…how did it happen?”

Sarah poked Fred in the side in warning.

“What d’you mean?” asked Ron.

“Did she have an accident or something?”

“What?”

“Well, how did she sustain such extensive brain damage? Careful, now!”

Mrs Weasley entered the room just in time to see Ron throw the sprout knife at Fred, who moved Sarah out of the way and turned it into a paper airplane with one lazy flick of his wand.

“ _Ron!”_ said Mrs Weasley furiously. “Don’t you ever let me see you throwing knives again!”

“I won’t,” said Ron, “let you see,” he added under his breath, as he turned back to the sprout mountain.

“Sarah, dear, will you, Draco, Harry, Hermione, Remus and Sirius be staying tonight?” Mrs Weasley asked her. “I’m sure we could find some space.”

“No, we won’t,” Sarah said with a smile. “But thank you for the offer.”

“Anytime, dear, you’re always welcome,” Mrs Weasley said warmly, patting Sarah’s cheek.

“Percy definitely not showing his ugly face, then?” asked Fred.

Mrs Weasley turned away before she answered. “No, he’s busy, I expect, at the Ministry.”

“Or he’s the world’s biggest prat,” said Fred, as Mrs Weasley left the kitchen. “One of the two. Well, let’s get going, then, George, Sarah.”

“What are you three up to?” asked Ron. “Can’t you help me with these sprouts? You two could just use your wands and then I’ll be free too!”

“No, I don’t think we can do that,” said Fred seriously. “It’s very character-building stuff, learning to peel sprouts without magic, makes you appreciate how difficult it is for Muggles and Squibs – “

“ – and if you want people to help you, Ron,” added George, throwing the paper airplane at him, “I wouldn’t chuck knives at them. Just a little hint.”

The three of them left the kitchen as Ron grumbled loudly, savagely attacking the sprouts.

“I’m just going to check on the others before we go,” Sarah said, kissing Fred on the cheek.

He nodded and Sarah quickly hurried up the rickety staircase, saying hello to Bill as he descended. She found Hermione and Ginny in Ginny’s room and peeked her head through the open door.

“I’m going to the village with the twins, do you want anything?” she asked.

“No, we’re good thanks,” Ginny said.

Sarah turned to Hermione. “Are you okay, darling?”

Hermione shrugged. “I’ll be fine here.”

“If you’re sure, you’re more than welcome to come with us,” Sarah said.

“Go enjoy,” Hermione urged. “Ginny’s keeping me company.”

“And keeping stupid brothers from being insensitive gits,” Ginny huffed. “Also, be careful if you go check on Harry and Draco, it’s been suspiciously quiet up there.”

Sarah laughed. “They wouldn’t have sex here, that’s what my house is for.”

Nonetheless, when she climbed up to Ron’s room, she knocked loudly on the door and called, “Are you two decent?”

The door swung open to reveal an incredulous Draco.

“Did you really think we’d have sex with everyone here?” he asked, rolling his eyes. “Unbelievable.”

Sarah smirked at him. “Ever since the kitchen incident, I can’t be too careful.”

Draco went a bright pink at the memory. Sarah peeked over his shoulder to see Harry also blushing brightly but with a smug smile on his face.

“Anyway,” drawled Sarah, “I’m going out with the twins and wondered if you wanted anything?”

“How about an Obliviate so that I can forget that mortifying event?” Draco muttered.

“I only have about twenty pounds,” said Sarah. “All right, then, I’m off. Don’t do anything scandalous.”

“Fuck off, you bint,” Draco laughed, pushing Sarah away from the doorway and closing the door behind her.

“Love you two, arsehole!” she shouted. Laughter answered her and she walked away, rolling her eyes.

***

“I can’t believe you put a gnome on top of the tree,” Sarah said fondly as she lay curled up around Fred, his fingers stroking through her hair.

He followed her gaze up to where the gnome was sitting, Stupefied, painted gold and stuffed into a miniature tutu with small wings glued to its back.

“Little bastard bit my ankle,” Fred shrugged. “He deserved it.”

Sarah rolled her eyes and tilted her chin up to kiss him slowly.

The living room of the Burrow had been extravagantly decorated by Ginny and Hermione during the time that Sarah and the twins had been in the village. Paper streamers were strung from every surface and even piled onto the floor in hazardous bundles. Everyone was spread out across the furniture and floor, nursing various drinks of steaming butterbeer or, in the adult’s cases, mulled wine or Firewhiskey.

They were all supposed to be listening to a Christmas broadcast by Mrs Weasley’s favourite singer, Celestina Warbeck, whose voice was warbling out of the large wooden wireless set. Fleur, who seemed to find Celestina very dull, was talking so loudly in the corner that a scowling Mrs Weasley kept pointing her wand at the volume control so that Celestina grew louder and louder. Undercover of a particularly jazzy number called “A Cauldron Full of Hot, Strong Love,” George started a game of Exploding Snap with Ginny. Ron kept shooting Bill and Fleur covert looks, as though hoping to pick up tips. Remus and Hermione were having a very deep discussion about creature rights as Sirius lay dozing against Remus’s legs, the brunette’s hand resting in Sirius’ dark hair. Meanwhile, Harry and Draco were in a very similar position to Sarah and Fred, the pair talking quietly amongst themselves as though they were the only two people in the room.

Fred leant down and pressed a kiss to Sarah’s forehead.

“What was that for?” she asked, looking up at him.

“I just love you,” he replied, smiling softly. “I miss you when you’re at school.”

Sarah kissed him back and snuggled closer to his chest. “You could visit me on Hogsmeade weekends,” she suggested. “A new café opened at the end of the main street and I’ve been wanting to see what it’s like.”

“Okay, then,” Fred said, resting his head against hers. “It’s a date.”

Celestina Warbeck ended her song on a very long, high-pitched note and loud applause issued out of the wireless, which Mrs Weasley joined in with enthusiastically.

“Eez eet over?” said Fleur loudly. “Thank goodness, what an ‘orrible – “

“Shall we have a nightcap, then?” asked Mr Weasley loudly, leaping to his feet as Mrs Weasley scowled at Fleur. “Who wants eggnog?”

“Prudente,” Sarah called softly to Fleur. “Semble être un sujet sensible.”

“Tout semble être un sujet sensible,” Fleur muttered back.

“Why doesn’t Mrs Weasley like Fleur?” Sarah whispered to Fred once the French woman had turned back to her husband.

Fred snorted. “Thinks she’s shallow and only with Bill because of his looks,” he replied.

Sarah frowned. “That’s quite nasty,” she said, slightly disappointed in the Weasley matriarch. “Fleur doesn’t deserve that.”

“Try telling Mum and Ginny that,” Fred said.

They shifted to accept cups of eggnog from a harried-looking Mr Weasley. Sarah leant forward to talk to Remus as Fred settled comfortably beside her.

“What have you been up to while we’ve been at school?” she asked Remus. “We didn’t get much time to talk earlier.”

Remus smiled tiredly at her. “I’ve been underground,” he said. “Almost literally. That’s why I haven’t been able to write.”

“What do you mean?” Sarah said, sitting up slightly. On the floor at Remus’ feet, Sirius stirred and blinked up at them.

“I’ve been living among my fellows,” said Remus slightly bitterly. “Dumbledore needed a spy and here I was…ready-made.”

“ _What_ ,” Sarah said in shock, suddenly no longer relaxed. “He’s making you spy on the werewolves?”

Sirius’s grey eyes cleared as he realised what they were talking about. He scowled darkly.

“Didn’t even really give Moony a choice,” he muttered angrily. “Just arrived at Grimmauld and told him what he wanted done.”

“But – Remus, that’s so dangerous,” Sarah said worriedly. Fred tightened his arm around her as she said, “What if you get hurt? How will we know?”

“I’ll be okay, Sarah,” Remus said with a small smile. “I can take care of myself.”

“You shouldn’t have to do it, though!” she exclaimed. Sirius nodded firmly in agreement.

“Nearly all of them are on Voldemort’s side,” Remus explained. “We need to be able to figure out their plans – “

“Your safety is more important than information, Remus,” Sarah argued. “I couldn’t bear it if something happened to you.”

Remus’s amber eyes softened. “I have to do this, Sarah. It may be difficult now but we _need_ to know what Greyback is doing…”

“Greyback!” Sarah said sharply. Draco looked her way with narrowed eyes. “You’re dealing with Fenrir Greyback?”

“Not directly,” said Remus. “But he is the one encouraging the others to join Voldemort.”

“Remus, please don’t do this,” begged Sarah. “Greyback _turned_ you – how can Dumbledore make you try to – to _spy_ on him! It’s completely horrid!”

“Sarah…” Remus said tiredly. “I owe Albus a great deal. He gave me the opportunity to go to school, to have a job. I need to do this.”

“But is it worth the risk of me losing you? Or Sirius or Draco or Harry?” Sarah said, tears pricking her eyes. “You don’t owe Dumbledore anything. You have a family now, Remus and we need you. _I_ need you.”

Remus sighed sadly and moved to wrap Sarah in a hug.

“I’ll talk to Dumbledore,” he whispered and Sarah clung to him. “I’ll tell him I won’t do it anymore.”

“Thank you,” Sarah breathed. “I wouldn’t know what to do without you. Who would help me babysit Sirius?”

Sirius laughed at her words and tugged Remus down so that he was sitting on the floor beside the dark-haired man.

“If I had known it would only take Sarah five minutes to convince you, I would have brought her home much earlier,” Sirius joked. But his expression was one of relief.

Sarah pressed close to Fred again and gripped his hand tightly. Luckily, no one else had heard their conversation.

“I need you both safe,” she said to Sirius and Remus. “You’re practically my parents – I can’t lose you.”

“Stop it, Nyx, you’re going to make me cry,” Sirius said, dabbing at his eyes.

“Nyx?” Fred said in confusion. “What happened to pup?”

“New nickname,” Sirius smirked. “I’m sure she’ll show you later.”

“Should I be worried?” Fred asked with a grin.

“I’m thinking along the same lines, Fred,” Remus stated, eyeing Sarah and Sirius warily. “It’s never good when these two join forces.”

“I think you’ll find that we are particularly spectacular,” Sarah said brightly. “You plebeians are just unable to comprehend our phantasmagorical existence.”

“Sometimes I think you make up words to suit the situation,” Fred muttered fondly.

“Completely contumelious,” Sarah said, putting her hand on her heart.

“Who knew Fred was capable of uttering such a vituperative comment?” Sirius said in mock horror. “Moony, protect me from the mean ginger.”

“See?” Fred exclaimed to Remus. “Surely those aren’t words!”

“We’ll stop now, love,” Sarah said, kissing him quickly.

Fred shook his head fondly but smiled, relaxing back into the couch.

Shortly after this, Fleur, despite Sarah’s warning, decided to imitate Celestina Warbeck’s singing which was taken by everyone, once they had glimpsed Mrs Weasley’s expression, to be the cue to go to bed. Sarah, Draco, Harry, Hermione, Sirius and Remus bid goodbye to everyone and promised Mrs Weasley they would be back tomorrow for Christmas lunch and dinner. Fred winked at Sarah before she stepped through the Floo and when she went up to her room in Grimmauld Place, it was to find Fred already lazing on her bed.

She snorted at the sight of him.

“Missed me already?” she teased, climbing onto the bed and crawling until she hovered over him.

“Nah, your bed’s just comfier than mine,” Fred said, folding his arms up under his head.

“In that case,” Sarah said, sitting back, “I might as well just go stay with Hermione. Give you _plenty_ of room – “

“Don’t you dare,” Fred said as he vaulted forward and wrapped his arms around her. “Guess I’m just going to have to not let you go.”

Sarah giggled and collapsed onto him, letting Fred roll them over under her back was pressed against the mattress.

“I’m going to show you just how much I’ve missed you,” murmured Fred, his hands running slowly up and down her body.

“Is that so?” she said, raising her eyebrow.

Fred leant down and pressed a kiss to her neck, slowly but surely creating a mark that Sarah knew wouldn’t heal for a few days.

He pulled back and grinned at her, his brown eyes bright.

“I have a lot of time to make up for,” he whispered.

Absently, he flung his wand out toward the door, muttering a spell without taking his eyes off Sarah.

“I’ve missed you too,” Sarah murmured, taking Fred’s hands in her hands.

Then she grinned wickedly at him and dropped one of her hands down to grip him through his pants.

Fred groaned and closed his eyes, his hips moving slightly against her.

“Fuck, Sarah,” he breathed. “This isn’t going to last long if you do stuff like that.”

She tilted up to kiss him deeply.

“Then you better get a move on, shouldn’t you?” she whispered against his lips.

That was all the invitation he needed.

He sat back enough to pull her sweater off, distractedly shucking his own shirt off in the process. Sarah barely had time to blink before Fred’s hands were everywhere, somehow managing to get their clothes off without separating his lips from hers.

Just as she was about to beg him to hurry up, his mouth disappeared from hers. Sarah opened her eyes and started to say, “Wha – ?”, when Fred dropped his head down, low, and the word turned into a strangled gasp.

Sarah arched up and bit her lip, her hand falling to rest in Fred’s mussed hair.

“Oh fuck,” she groaned. “Fred, please – just fuck me – _now_ – “

Fred kept doing what he was doing for a few seconds longer before listening to her pleas. He climbed back up her body and crashed his lips to hers as he positioned himself and pushed forward. They both groaned and gripped each other tightly as he let her adjust.

“I’m okay,” she said, pressing kisses across his face. “You can move.”

Fred panted above her as he began to thrust in a steady rhythm.

“You have – no idea – how hard it was to – to not touch you tonight,” he gasped, dropping his mouth to her neck again briefly. “You were wearing – my _jumper_ and I wanted to take you upstairs there and then.”

Sarah laughed breathily and said, “I think someone would have noticed us.”

“We could have gone to your place,” Fred replied, the last word dissolving into a moan. “You’re just so fucking beautiful.”

Sarah kissed him and wrapped her arms tightly around him. Without much warning, she suddenly flipped them so she was straddling him. She put her hands on his chest as he stared wide-eyed up at her.

“I love you,” Sarah whispered, pressing a kiss to his shining lips.

Fred’s head fell back against the pillow as she began to move, his hands gripping her waist tightly.

“Fuck,” he groaned. “We need to do this more.”

“Can’t have you doing all the fun work,” Sarah gasped.

They moved together fluidly until Sarah began to stutter in her movements. Fred began to push harder up into her as she rushed towards the edge.

She held his shoulders in a tight grip as her orgasm crashed into her, causing her to gasp and curse as Fred continued to move. With a muffled shout, Fred followed her over the edge and began to slow his movements. He flipped them back over so that Sarah was beneath him again as he pressed kisses all over her body.

“I love you too,” Fred murmured, his head moving slowly. His short hair tickled her sweat slick skin as they both recovered their breath.

Sarah rested a hand on his shoulder and began tracing patterns absently, enjoying the feeling of Fred’s soft kisses.

“I want to marry you one day,” Sarah said suddenly, looking up at the ceiling.

She heard Fred’s breath hitch and she glanced down at him. He was staring at her, brown eyes wide and disbelieving.

“You – you – “ he stuttered.

Sarah smiled at him and ran a hand along his face. “Someday, we’ll have a nice house with a cat and maybe one or two kids running around. I’ll be a Healer and you’ll run the joke shop. We’ll be incredibly busy and we’ll probably fight about stupid things but every day, we’ll both come home to a house full of life and know without a doubt that we love each other.”

“I want that, too,” Fred breathed, looking at her in wonder. “You’ll have a library and I’ll have to drag you out of it to spend time with me. Or I’ll just sit with you, watching as you read.”

“And you can have an experimentation room which the children won’t be able to access,” Sarah added. “You’ll cause way too many explosions and come out looking a mess but I’ll always just give you a kiss and send you up to shower.”

“I’ll cook for us because I know we’d die if you did,” Fred teased. “And I’d always make enough for the various friends that would no doubt arrive unannounced.”

“And I’d distract you as you cooked,” Sarah went on, “probably scarring aforementioned friends enough to make them send warning before dropping by.”

Fred smiled widely up at her.

“We’ll have that future,” he promised. “No matter what happens, I will always be with you.”

“Don’t propose too early,” Sarah warned him, ignoring the pinprick of tears. “And if you do, don’t expect children. I don’t want them for a few years.”

“You need time to finish your studies,” Fred agreed. “And we should travel. Once you graduate, we’ll go on a trip before training starts. Just you and me.”

“It’s a promise,” Sarah murmured.

“What brought this on?” Fred asked her, situating himself above her again.

Sarah shrugged slightly.

“I was thinking about Sirius and Remus and my mother and how we should have all been a happy family, with the Potters and your family,” Sarah said quietly. “And I realised how much I want my own family with someone I love – with you.”

Fred leaned down and kissed her deeply, intensely. She gripped the sides of his face and drew him closer, pushing him to his side so she could press kisses down his body.

Their movements were unhurried and sweet, declarations of a future in the midst of trouble and uncertainty. Sarah moved lower down Fred’s body and worshiped it until he was a mess beneath her hands, her mouth. Before he could finish again, he drew her off him and switched their positions, surely but steadily expressing his love for her through his even movements, filling her until she could do nothing but gasp his name and hold him tightly to her.

The future was unknown but she would do everything she could to fight for it.

* * *

**Translations:**

Prudente = Careful

Semble être un sujet sensible = Seems to be a sensitive subject

Tout semble être un sujet sensible = Everything seems to be a sensitive subject


	8. Chapter Eight

Harry was woken up on Christmas Day by Draco excitedly shouting, “Presents!”

He rubbed his eyes and blinked sleepily up at his boyfriend, who seemed to have reverted back to his five-year-old self rather than sixteen.

“Harry, _wake up_!” whined Draco. “I want to give you your gift.”

“Not even a good morning kiss?” Harry pouted.

Draco pressed a quick kiss to Harry’s lips and then pushed him awake.

“Open your gift now,” he demanded. “Or else I’ll sleep in my own bed tonight.”

Harry quickly pulled the present toward him.

Draco watched him anxiously as he ripped through the paper and held the small, flat box gently in his hands.

“Draco…?”

“Just open it,” urged Draco, his silver eyes nervous.

Harry lifted the lid and blinked in shock. Nestled in soft padding was a gold bracelet in the winding shape of a curled dragon. Tiny emeralds glinted from eyes which seemed to follow Harry as he turned the bracelet around, peering at the intricate details or the scales and wings.

“It’s part of a matching pair,” Draco explained quickly. “I – er – have the other one. It connects us so that we’ll always be able to know if the other is okay. If we ever get separated or are in trouble, the bracelet will heat up so the other knows. I wasn’t sure if it allows us to Apparate to one another but we can’t even test that yet, so I guess it’s not important but if you don’t want to wear it it’s absolutely okay, I know it’s not exactly your style – “

Harry cut Draco off by pulling the other boy forward and pressing a hard kiss to his lips. Draco sighed and gripped Harry’s dishevelled curls.

“So, I guess you like it then?” Draco asked hesitantly, twisting his complementary band on his wrist.

“It’s brilliant, Draco,” Harry said. “My gift is so terrible in comparison – “

“Don’t worry about that,” Draco interrupted. “This was as much for me as it was you. You’re always getting yourself into dangerous situations and I want to be able to know if I have to send Sarah to heal you or if I can just come myself and slap you over the head.”

“You wouldn’t kiss me better?” Harry teased.

“Not if you jumped headfirst into danger without a second thought,” Draco sniffed. “I can’t afford to have heart problems this young.”

“It’s perfect, Draco. I love it,” Harry said, running his finger over the head of the dragon and watching as it shuddered slightly as if in delight.

He dragged Draco forward and kissed him again, running his hand through the other boy’s silky hair.

“I love _you_ ,” he murmured. “And I was planning to make a big deal of telling you and you go ahead and do this.”

Draco smiled brilliantly at him. “I love you too, you idiot. I thought that was obvious.”

Harry rolled his eyes. “I’m sentimental, what can I say?”

“You mean to tell me that this whole time you’ve been building up the courage to tell me you loved me?” Draco smirked.

Harry frowned slightly and Draco laughed in delight.

“Harry, I didn’t think we needed to tell each other we loved each other,” Draco shook his head fondly. “I don’t think it could have been any more obvious.”

“Stop laughing at me,” Harry pouted, crossing his arms.

“I’m not laughing at you,” lied Draco, smothering a snort. “I just think you’re adorable.”

Harry huffed and looked away, trying to keep his lips from twitching into a smile.

Draco crept closer and kissed one cheek softly and then the next.

“Harry Potter – I – love – you – “ Draco said, separating each word with a sweet kiss on Harry’s face. “Even though you’re a sentimental Gryffindor fool” – Harry glared at him half-heartedly – “you have my heart and always will.”

“Who’s the sentimental one now?” Harry asked, smiling as Draco finally kissed his lips.

“Don’t get used to it,” he warned. “You caught me at a weak moment.”

“This is called _emotions_ , love.”

“Keep being a git and you’ll be sleeping alone tonight.”

Harry rolled his eyes and handed Draco a gift.

“Your turn,”

Once they had finished opening their gifts – interrupted occasionally by impromptu snogging bouts – they made their way down to the kitchen where Sirius, Remus, Sarah, Hermione and, unsurprisingly, Fred all sat.

“Morning boys,” smirked Sarah. “Busy morning?”

“Draco was quite excited about presents,” Harry replied, making a cup of tea.

“What’s new?” Sarah said, accepting a kiss on the forehead from Draco.

“Thank you for the Runes book, Harry!” Hermione said gratefully. “It’s very interesting.”

“Yours was as well,” Harry said, turning away so that she couldn’t see the lie on his face. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome!” said Hermione excitedly. “It’ll become really useful leading up to exams.”’

Harry made a noncommittal sound and sipped his tea as Draco and Sarah began to bicker about the colour of their Weasley sweaters.

“It is _not_ aubergine!” Draco was saying. “It’s a dark Byzantine.”

Sarah scoffed loudly. “Pur- _lease_! Byzantine? It’s way too dark for that. It’s definitely aubergine.”

“You’re wrong.”

“I’m absolutely right.”

“No, you’re not.”

“You’re just upset you have aubergine while I have celeste.”

“That’s aqua.”

“It is _not_.”

“Yes, it is, you’re lying to yourself.”

“At least mine suits me. Aubergine washes you out.”

“Excuse _you_ ,” Draco said, bristling. “Aubergine does _not_ wash me out! It’s complimentary of my fair complexion.”

“You just admitted it was aubergine,” smirked Sarah.

“I fucking hate you.”

Harry laughed loudly at the pair, who turned to the rest of the table in surprise as if they had forgotten they weren’t alone.

“You two are ridiculous,” Remus muttered, smiling behind his teacup.

“Doesn’t that take you back, Moony?” Sirius said brightly. “Reminds me of Evelyn and James. Those two used to fight like cats and dogs over the most pointless things.”

“To be fair, Evelyn was usually right,” Remus said.

“Ha!” cried Sarah, jabbing Draco with a finger. “Did you hear that, darling? I was right.”

“I don’t think that’s what he said…” Harry began but quickly cut off when Sarah shot him a glare.

“Come on, you lot,” Sirius interrupted. “We’re leaving for the Burrow soon.”

Before Sarah could go upstairs, Harry grabbed her arm and pulled her into the sitting room.

“Any reason for this sudden kidnapping?” she asked.

“It’s not a kidnapping,” Harry laughed. “I told Draco I loved him.”

Sarah let out a high-pitched squeal and wrapped her arms around Harry’s neck.

“How? When? What did he say? Did you two kiss? Did you have _sex?”_

“Sarah, what the fuck – no, we didn’t have sex,” Harry said, unravelling her arms from his throat. He grinned at her. “He gave me my gift and it was wonderful, I didn’t think – I just said it.”

“Show me, show me, show me,” Sarah urged, smiling brightly.

Harry stuck his left hand out and pulled his sleeve up to expose the golden band. Sarah examined it and stroked it carefully.

“Oh, it’s _gorgeous_ ,” she breathed. “I’m so glad it turned out like that. And it connects to Draco’s one, doesn’t it?”

“You knew?” Harry asked. “Of course you knew, why did I even ask.”

Sarah grinned at him.

“So he presented you with this, probably rambled on about how you didn’t have to accept it, and then you told him you love him?” Sarah guessed.

Harry rolled his eyes.

“Shh and let me tell it,” he scolded. Sarah mimed zipping her lips. “Yes, he was rambling so I kissed him and then told him I loved it and that I loved him. Then he started laughing and said I was sentimental because I had been planning for ages to tell him when he thought it was just obvious. And then he said it back.”

“That’s so cute!” said Sarah shrilly. “My idiotic, crazy-in-love, boys. I’m so happy.”

“You do look really happy this morning,” Harry said. “Good night with Fred?” he added with a smirk.

“Extremely pleasurable, yes,” Sarah said confidently. She sobered slightly. “We talked about the future we both want. It’s something for us to fight for.”

Harry peered down at her seriously and put his hands on her shoulders. He couldn’t help but admire how strong she was even when she had lost so much in the last few years.

“We’ll fight for it until the end,” he promised.

“Until the end,” she echoed with a ghost of a smile.

***

“Ron, what the actual _fuck_ is that?” Sarah demanded as she burst into Ron’s attic room at the Burrow an hour later.

“Aghhh!” screamed Ron. “Sarah! What the fuck?”

“I just asked you that question,” she said, flopping onto his bed and snatching the large gold necklace from the pile of wrapping paper. The looping words, ‘My Sweetheart’, were attached to the thick golden chain and Sarah gagged as she looked at it.

“It’s from Lavender,” said Ron, sounding revolted. “She can’t honestly think I’d wear…”

“Classy,” Sarah stated. “You should definitely wear it in front of Fred and George. Might teach you a lesson or two – “

“Piss off!”

“If you tell them,” said Ron, shoving the necklace out of sight under his pillow, “I – I – I’ll – “

“What? Stutter at me?” said Sarah, grinning.

“How could she think I’d like something like that, though?” Ron demanded of thin air, looking rather shocked.

“Well, think back,” said Sarah. “Have you ever let it slip that you’d like to go out in public with the words ‘My Sweetheart’ round your neck?”

“Well…we don’t really talk much,” said Ron. “It’s mainly…”

“Snogging,” said Sarah.

Ron grimaced and nodded.

Sarah laughed and began sorting through his other presents.

“Thanks for the gloves, by the way,” she said, snorting at Hermione’s planner. The girl had given each of them one despite knowing that Draco was the only one likely to use it.

“No worries,” Ron said waving a hand. He pulled a shirt over his head and leant against his tiny desk. “Not to sound rude, but why are you in here?”

“What do you mean?” Sarah said distractedly, digging into a packet of sweets from Neville.

“I mean, you’ve hardly wanted to spend time with me these past few months, why the sudden change of heart?” Ron elaborated.

Sarah glanced up to find the redhead watching her. She shrugged and said around a piece of liquorice.

“Honestly, you were a horrid git to Hermione and a very distracted friend to the rest of us,” she said, swallowing her piece, “but it doesn’t mean you can’t be happy.”

“That’s unusually kind of you,” Ron said haltingly.

“Well, I also think that if I spend more time with you, you’ll be more likely to come to your senses and remember that relationships aren’t all physical,” she admitted.

“And that’s more like it,” Ron muttered, shaking his head fondly at her. “You’re ridiculous, you know that right?”

“I have been told that a few times today,” smirked Sarah. “But seriously, Draco and Harry are all lovey-dovey today and Hermione still refuses to talk to you. Really, I’m your last option.”

Ron frowned.

“Is Hermione really going out with McLaggen?” he asked hesitantly.

Sarah snorted and said, “No, of course not. That man is a troll.”

“But why would she take him to Slughorn’s party?” Ron asked, his brow furrowed.

“Think about it hard enough and you’ll figure it out, darling,” said Sarah.

“That’s not fair,” Ron complained. “And stop eating my sweets!”

He took the packet away, ignoring Sarah’s pout.

“You’re cruel,” Sarah said, bemoaning the loss of her sugar fix. “A terrible friend.”

“I’m sure you’ll live,” Ron muttered as he pulled Sarah off the bed and pushed her toward the door.

“Absolutely unreliable,” Sarah continued, ignoring Ron’s eye roll. “Atrocious. Why do I even deal with such treatment…”

***

Christmas lunch at the Burrow was as chaotic as usual. Fred and George were causing explosions as random occasion; Ginny was laughing loudly at something Bill said, Hermione rolling her eyes at them; Ron was scoffing down food while Sirius seemed to be racing him, Remus was watching them in amused horror as he spoke quietly with Harry; and Fleur, Draco and Sarah were conversing quietly in French. Watching over everything with small smiles were Mr and Mrs Weasley.

“Arthur!” said Mrs Weasley suddenly. She had risen from her chair; her hand was pressed over her heart and she was staring out of the kitchen window. “Arthur – it’s Percy!”

“ _What?”_

Everyone looked up and sure enough, Percy Weasley was striding across the front lawn toward the door.

“Is that the Minister?” Draco said in disbelief.

Ginny stood up to get a better look.

The kitchen was silent as the back door opened and Percy appeared. Rufus Scrimgeour paused behind him, leaning heavily on his cane.

There was a moment’s painful silence. Then Percy said rather stiffly, “Merry Christmas, Mother.”

“Oh, _Percy_!” said Mrs Weasley, and she threw herself into his arms.

“You must forgive this intrusion,” said Rufus Scrimgeour, when Mrs Weasley looked around at him, beaming and wiping her eyes. “Percy and I were in the vicinity – working, you know – and he couldn’t resist dropping in and seeing you all.”

But Percy showed no sign of wanting to greet any of the rest of the family. He stood, poker-straight and awkward-looking, and stared over everybody else’s heads. Mr Weasley, Fred and George were all observing him, stony-faced.

Sarah placed a hand on top of Fred’s as Mrs Weasley invited the Minister inside, only for him to make a very unsubtle suggestion of Harry showing him around the garden. Harry waved down Draco, Sirius and Remus’ concerned glances and followed Rufus Scrimgeour out of the kitchen.

The next ten minutes were the most awkward of Sarah’s life.

Percy stiffly let his mother fuss around him as his brothers and father glared at him. Remus was watching with a neutral expression on his face, his hand resting on Sirius’ arm as the other man tried to look around the back door after Harry and Scrimgeour.

In the end, Ginny, Fred and George snapped first and ended up throwing mashed parsnip at Percy, splattering his glasses and causing him to storm from the house, ignoring Mrs Weasley’s desperate cries.

Harry had returned to the house cranky but smug. Apparently the Minister had thought it appropriate to ask Harry to become an ‘icon’ for the Ministry, making an appearance every now and then to show his support.

Draco nearly laughed himself hoarse at the idea.

“You shouldn’t have done that to Percy,” Sarah said quietly to Fred as Mr Weasley attempted to console his wife.

“He deserved it,” Fred muttered savagely.

Sarah frowned but just rested a hand between Fred’s shoulder blades.

Mrs Weasley continued to cry.


	9. Chapter Nine

“Baubles,” said Ron confidently, when they reached the Fat Lady, who was looking rather paler than usual and winced at his loud voice.

“No,” she said.

“What d’you mean, ‘no’?”

“There is a new password,” she said. “And please don’t shout.”

“But we’ve been away, how’re we supposed to - ?”

“Sarah! Harry! Draco!”

Hermione was hurrying toward them. She had left Grimmauld Place the day before the end of the holidays.

“I’ve just been down to visit Hagrid,” she said breathlessly. “It’s snowing like made out there. Oh, hang on – password. _Abstinence_.”

“Precisely,” said the Fat Lady in a feeble voice, and swung forward to reveal the portrait hole.

Ron clambered through quickly, looking slightly disheartened that Hermione hadn’t acknowledged him.

“What’s up with her?” asked Harry.

“Overindulged over Christmas, apparently,” said Sarah, smirking and rolling her eyes.

“She and her friend Violet drank their way through all the wine in that picture of drunk monks by the Charms corridor,” Hermione added. “Anyway, I’ve got something for you, Harry…”

She rummaged in her pocket for a moment, then pulled out a scroll of parchment.

“Great,” Harry said, unrolling it, “I’ve got another meeting with Dumbledore tomorrow night.”

“Hermione, how was Hag – “

Draco’s question was interrupted by a loud squeal of “Won-Won!” and Lavender Brown came hurtling out of nowhere and flung herself into Ron’s arms. Several onlookers sniggered; Hermione gave a tinkling laugh and said, “There’s a table over there – come on.”

“Have you guys seen the notice?” Neville suddenly said, walking over to where Sarah, Draco, Harry and Hermione were sitting.

“What notice?” Sarah asked.

Neville handed them a large sheet of parchment. “Apparation lessons,” he grinned.

Draco eagerly took the parchment and signed his name at the bottom. The others followed his example.

“I can’t wait,” Hermione said excitedly. “It’s such an interesting branch of magic. To be able to transport yourself from one place to another purely because of magical ability – “

“Hermione, I love you but please don’t go on a lecture about magical cores and power,” Sarah sighed.

“I wasn’t…” Hermione said, frowning slightly.

Draco reached over a patted her arm.

“Don’t lie to yourself, darling,” he said, smiling slightly. “And don’t frown, you’ll get wrinkles.”

***

“Horcruxes?”

Sarah tapped her quill against the desk and stared out the window in thought.

“You’re sure he said Horcruxes?” she repeated.

Draco nodded and glanced toward the door where Snape had disappeared a moment before. 

“Apparently Dumbledore wants Harry to talk to Slughorn,” explained Draco quietly. “Get a memory from him. It’s meant to help…”

“I haven’t heard about anything called a Horcrux,” Sarah said, biting the end of her quill. “But I’m guessing that whatever it is won’t be good.”

At that moment, the door opened again and Professor Snape stalked in.

“Imbecile,” he muttered under his breath, shaking off his outer robes.

“Everything all right, Professor?” Sarah called, leaning back in her chair.

“Never you mind, Deaumont,” he replied in a sharp tone.

“Looks like someone is going to be enjoying detention tonight,” Draco muttered to Sarah.

She smiled crookedly back at him.

“Get back to work,” snapped Snape. “I expect a twelve-inch essay on the similarities and differences in alternative equations and brewing from what we’ve already examined on my desk by next Wednesday.”

And with that, he vanished his robes, grabbed his things and stormed back out of the room.

“Well, that was riveting,” drawled Draco.

Sarah shrugged. “He’s a cranky old bastard. He’ll get over it.” She flipped through her Alchemy textbook with one hand while the other search through her bag. “Oi, did you eat my last Sugar Quill?”

Draco smirked back at her from around a Sugar Quill.

“Wanker!” Sarah laughed, pushing Draco in his chair.

“I’ll buy you more,” he said, waving his hand. “Now, does your mother’s journal have anything about alternative brewing methods?”

Sarah summoned it to her and handed it to Draco.

“Page twenty,” she said. “What do you think Harry’s going to do about getting that memory?”

Draco grimaced slightly.

“He mentioned to Hermione and me that Ron suggested he should just wait at the end of Potions one day.” Sarah let out a huff and Draco added, “You can imagine how well that went down…”

“Ugh, I am _not_ looking forward to Potions this afternoon,” Sarah groaned.

“You’re not looking forward to it because you still haven’t finished the essay,” Draco corrected.

Sarah dropped her head onto the table.

“Ah, fuck, I forgot about that,” she said. “Help?”

“Already written you up an outline,” replied Draco.

Sarah grabbed his face and pressed a big kiss on his cheek.

“You. Are. _Amazing!_ ” she said, searching around for the plan. “Enjoy that Sugar Quill. I’ll even buy you more.”

“I’m holding you to that.”

***

Potions class that afternoon was awkward. Hermione had convinced Draco to switch seats with her for the lesson and was now sitting beside Sarah, hissing an angry explanation while Sarah hummed occasionally, focusing on her potion. Across from her, Blaise was smirking at his ingredients. Sarah caught his eye and he raised his annoyingly perfect eyebrows. Actually, his entire face was annoying: the eyebrows, the amused smirk, the bright eyes – wait, no, maybe that was just Hermione’s insistent chatter in her ear.

“Hermione, if you give me one more reason why Harry and Ron are insensitive bastards I _will_ stab you,” Sarah snapped.

Hermione’s mouth snapped shut and she huffed angrily.

“Sorry,” she said. “I just want him to stop bugging me about it.”

“Hermione, Harry is one of the most persistent people I know, aside from Draco,” Sarah said, putting down her knife. “Complaining will get you nowhere.”

“I know,” Hermione said, much more quietly. “I’m sorry.”

“You’re forgiven,” replied Sarah. “Now, did Harry decide if he’s going to do Ron’s ridiculous plan?”

Hermione scoffed. “Of course he did. As if Slughorn will just hand him over the memory. It’s obviously something he wants to deny or forget, judging on how he tried to alter it.”

“Hmm, well let’s just let Harry realise that for himself,” smiled Sarah, eyeing the boy from across the room. He caught her eye and stuck her tongue out at her. “Saves us all some unnecessary effort.”

At the end of the lesson, Harry hung back to talk to Professor Slughorn. Sarah waved the others off and leant against the stone wall outside to wait for him.

Sarah jumped as a loud bellow cut through the silent hall and the door banged open. Professor Slughorn stalked through and slammed the door behind him. He barely gave Sarah a glance before marching off down the corridor, muttering under his breath.

Harry followed a moment later, looking extremely put-out.

“No luck, huh?” Sarah said.

Harry ran his hand through his thick curls.

“Don’t laugh at me, that was bad enough,” Harry said. Sarah walked over and wrapped an arm around his waist.

“It’s okay, darling,” she comforted. “We’ll figure something out.”

Harry nodded and sighed.

“I’m just appalled you had the absolute _nerve_ to present a fucking _Bezoar_ to Slughorn instead of an antidote,” Sarah said, slapping his arm. “Completely ridiculous. _And_ he gave you ten points!”

“Saw it in the Prince’s book,” Harry muttered sheepishly.

“You’d think that dating Draco would have made you better at Potions,” Sarah said, shaking her head at him.

“What can I say? I live to surprise,” Harry smirked.

Harry didn’t question Slughorn again over the next few days. The Potions master reverted to his usual affectionate treatment of him, appeared to have put the entire matter from his mind. Sarah continued to confirm to him that no invitations had been given for Slughorn’s next party. Draco began to brainstorm with Harry different ways to get Slughorn to give up the original memory.

Meanwhile, the Hogwarts library had failed Hermione for the first time in living memory. She was so shocked, she even forgot she was mad at Harry.

“I haven’t found one single explanation of what Horcruxes do!” Hermione told Sarah and Harry one day. “Not a single one! I’ve been right through the restricted section and even in the most _horrible_ books, where they tell you how to brew the most _gruesome_ potions – nothing! All I could find was this, in the introduction to _Magick Moste Evile_ – listen – ‘Of the Horcrux, wickedest of magical inventions, we shall not speak nor give direction…’ I mean, why mention it then?” she said impatiently, slamming the old book shut; it let out a ghostly wail. “Oh, shut up,” she snapped, stuffing it back into her bag.

The snow melted around the school as February arrived, to be replaced by cold, dreary wetness. Purplish-grey clouds hung low over the castle and a constant fall of chill rain made the lawns slippery and muddy. The upshot of this was that the sixth years’ first Apparation lesson, which was scheduled for a Saturday morning so that no normal lessons would be missed, took place in the Great Hall instead of in the grounds.

When Sarah and Draco arrived in the Hall, they found that the tables had disappeared. Rain lashed against the high windows and the enchanted ceiling swirled darkly above them as they assembled in front of Professors McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick and Sprout – the Heads of Houses – and a small wizard whom Sarah took to be the Apparation instructor from the Ministry. He was oddly colourless, with transparent eyelashes, wispy hair, and an insubstantial air, as though a single gust of wind might blow him away. Sarah wondered whether constant disappearances and reappearances had somehow diminished his substance, or whether this frail build was ideal for anyone wishing to vanish.

“Good morning,” said the Ministry wizard, when all the students had arrived and the Heads of Houses had called for quiet. “My name is Wilkie Twycross and I shall be your Ministry Apparation instructor for the next twelve weeks. I hope to be able to prepare you for your Apparation Tests in this time – “

“Crabbe, be quiet and pay attention!” barked Professor McGonagall.

Everybody looked around. Crabbe had flushed a dull pink; he looked furious as he stepped away from Goyle, with whom he appeared to have been having a whispered argument. Sarah glanced quickly at Snape, who also looked annoyed, though Sarah strongly suspected that this was less because of Crabbe’s rudeness than the fact that McGonagall had reprimanded one of his House.

“ – by which time, many of you may be ready to take your tests,” Twycross continued, as though there had been no interruption.

“As you may know, it is usually impossible to Apparate or Disapparate within Hogwarts. The headmaster has lifted this enchantment, purely within the Great Hall, for one hour, so as to enable you to practice. May I emphasise that you will not be able to Apparate outside the walls of the Hall, and that you would be unwise to try. I would like each of you to place yourselves now so that you have a clear five feet space in front of you.”

There was a great scrambling and jostling as people separated, banged into each other, and ordered others out of their space. The Heads of Houses moved among the students, marshalling them into position and breaking up arguments.

“Where are you going?” demanded Pansy.

Sarah didn’t answer, she was moving quickly through the crowd, pulling Draco by the sleeve behind her. She managed to plant them right at the back of the crowd, directly behind Crabbe who was taking advantage of the general upheaval to continue his argument with Goyle, standing five feet away and looking mutinous.

“I don’t know how much longer, all right?” Crabbe shot at him, oblivious to Sarah and Draco standing right behind him. “It’s taking longer than I thought it would.”

Goyle opened his mouth, but Crabbe appeared to second-guess what he was going to say. “Look, it’s none of your business what I’m doing. You just have to do as you’re told and keep a lookout!”

“Lookout?” Draco whispered to Sarah, but at that moment, all four Heads of Houses called for silence.

“Thank you,” said Twycross. “Now then…”

He waved his wand. Old-fashioned wooden hoops instantly appeared on the floor in front of every student.

“The important things to remember when Apparating are the three D’s!” said Twycross. “Destination, Determination, Deliberation!

“Step one: Fix your mind firmly upon the desire _destination_ ,” said Twycross. “In this case, the interior of your hoop. Kindly concentration upon that destination now.”

Everybody looked around furtively to check that everyone else was staring into their hoops, then hastily did as they were told. Sarah gazed at the circular patch of dusty floor enclosed by her hoop and tried hard to think of nothing else. This proved impossible as she couldn’t stop puzzling over what Crabbe was doing that needed lookouts.

“Step two,” said Twycross, “focus your _determination_ to occupy the visualised space! Let your yearning to enter it flood from your mind to every particle of your body!”

Sarah glanced around surreptitiously. A little way to her left, Ernie Macmillan was contemplating his hoop so hard that his face had turned pink; it looked as though he was straining to lay a Quaffle-sized egg. Sarah bit back a laugh and hastily returned to her own hoop.

“Step three,” called Twycross, “and only when I give the command…Turn on the spot, feeling your way into nothingness, moving with _deliberation!_ On my command, now…one – “

Sarah didn’t think that his instructions were enough to try to Apparate immediately. Judging from the nervous faces around her, she wasn’t the only one who thought so.

“ – two – “

Sarah tried to focus on the three D’s and stared intently at the space in her hoop.

“ – THREE!”

Sarah spun on the spot and nearly lost her balance. She was not the only one. The Hall was suddenly full of staggering people; Neville was flat on his back; Ernie Macmillan, on the other hand, had done a kind of pirouetting leap into his hoop and landed momentarily thrilled, until he caught sight of Dean Thomas roaring with laughter at him.

“Never mind, never mind,” said Twycross dryly, who did not seem to have expected anything better. “Adjust your hoops, please, and back to your original positions…”

The second attempt was no better than the first. The third was just as bad. Sarah couldn’t stop snickering at Draco after he tripped over his own feet and nearly fell in Professor Sprout, who was walking nearby. It wasn’t until the fourth did anything exciting happen. There was a horrible screech of pain and everybody looked around, terrified, to see Susan Bones of Hufflepuff wobbling in her hoop with her left leg still standing five feet away where she had started.

The Heads of Houses converged on her; there was a great bang and a puff of purple smoke, which cleared to reveal Susan sobbing, reunited with her leg but looking horrified.

“Splinching, or the separation of random body parts,” said Wilkie Twycross dispassionately, “occurs when the mind is insufficiently _determined_. You must concentrate continuously upon your _destination_ , and move, without haste, but with _deliberation_ …thus.”

Twycross stepped forward, turned gracefully on the spot with his arms outstretched, and vanished in a swirl of robes, reappearing at the back of the Hall.

“Remember the three D’s,” he said, “and try again…one – two – three – “

But an hour later, Susan’s Splinching was still the most interesting thing that had happened. Twycross did not seem discouraged. Fastening his cloak at his neck, he merely said, “Until next Saturday, everybody, and do not forget: _Destination, Determination, Deliberation_.”

With that, he waved his wand, Vanishing the hoops, and walked out of the Hall accompanied by Professor McGonagall. Talk broke out at once as people began moving toward the entrance hall.

“How did you do?” asked Ron, as he and Harry hurried up to Sarah and Draco. “I think I felt something the last time I tried – a kind of tingling in my feet.”

“I expect your trainers are too small, Won-Won,” said a voice behind them, and Hermione stalked past, smirking.

Sarah smothered a snort as Harry quickly said, “I didn’t feel anything.”

“Forget about that,” Draco whispered. “Listen to this.”

He quickly described what they had overheard Crabbe saying.

“Why would he need a lookout?” Harry asked as they walked back toward Gryffindor Tower.

“No idea,” replied Sarah. “I think we may have to see if he’s acting odd – well, odder than usual.”

“I don’t see why we care?” Ron said. “I mean, sure the guy is a git but why should we worry about what he’s doing?”

“It’s just strange,” Draco said. “Not antagonism, no attitude, pulling away from others – it’s completely unlike Crabbe. Also, he’s rarely in the dorm and has been getting paler and more irritable.”

“Sure, it’s strange,” Ron agreed. “But again, why should we care?”

Sarah shrugged.

“Maybe we shouldn’t.”

February moved toward March with no change in the weather except that it became windy as well as wet. Sarah was constantly teasing Draco for walking around looking like a wet, miserable cat. To general indignation, a sign went up on all common room notice boards that the next trip into Hogsmeade had been cancelled. Ron was furious.

“It was on my birthday!” he said. “I was looking forward to that!”

“Not a big surprise, though, is it?” said Pansy. “Not after what happened to Bell.”

Katie had still not returned from St Mungo’s. What was more, further disappearances had been reported in the _Daily Prophet_ , including several relatives of students at Hogwarts.

“But now all I’ve got to look forward to is stupid Apparation!” continued Ron grumpily. “But birthday treat…”

“At least you didn’t Splinch yourself,” Sarah muttered.

On their third lesson, Sarah had managed to Apparate into her hoop but had also left a finger behind. Apparently, swearing at the top of your lungs while staring at your dismembered finger is not appropriate student conduct. Sarah was still pissed that Snape had taken twenty points from Slytherin. She wasn’t the only one who had been injured. There had been a few other people in the last lessons to get Splinched but so far no one had successfully Apparated.

“Sarah! Draco!”

Sarah looked up at Hermione’s worried shout. The girl was racing toward the Slytherin table, her brown eyes wild and red-rimmed.

“Hermione – what’s wrong?”

“Ron’s been poisoned, he’s in the hospital wing!” Hermione cried.


	10. Chapter Ten

“What!”

Sarah jumped up from her seat, Draco right on her heels.

“Where’s Harry?” Draco asked as they sped from the Hall.

“With Ron,” Hermione said. “Professor McGonagall found me just before – I thought you should know.”

The three of them ran through the halls, pushing past students until they reached the hospital wing.

“Madam Pomfrey!” Sarah called as they burst into the doors. “Diagnostic?”

Sarah transfigured her robes into an imitation of Madam Pomfrey’s as Draco and Hermione went to Harry’s side.

“Ingested fast working poison from a glass of mead,” Madam Pomfrey stated. “Potter shoved a Bezoar down his throat – saved his life.”

“Do we know what the poison is?” Sarah asked.

“No,” replied Madam Pomfrey stiffly. She glanced up at the other three students. “Out! All of you out! We need space to work.”

“But – “

“Out, Potter!”

Sarah and Madam Pomfrey worked tirelessly around Ron’s prone body, siphoning the residual poison and administering various antidotes.

Finally, after a few hours of work, he was in a stable condition.

“Why were Harry and Ron drinking the mead anyway?” Sarah asked Madam Pomfrey as they checked Ron’s vitals.

“Apparently Mr Weasley ate some chocolates drugged with love potion, so Mr Potter took him to Professor Slughorn,” Madam Pomfrey explained.

Sarah groaned. “That idiot,” she muttered.

“You can let the others in now,” Madam Pomfrey said, tidying up the beds.

Sarah nodded and walked to the door. Opening it, she found Harry, Draco, Hermione, Ginny, Fred and George waiting outside.

“Sarah,” Harry said, getting to his feet. “How’s Ron?”

“He’ll be okay,” she smiled. Ginny sighed in relief and hugged Hermione, who looked shaken.

Fred walked up to Sarah and put his arm around her.

“You’re all allowed to come in now,” she said, hugging him back.

“So, all in all, not one of Ron’s better birthdays?” said Fred, as they all stalked inside.

It was evening now and the hospital wing was quiet, the windows curtained, the lamps lit. Apparently, Fred and George had arrived at ten past eight. Mr and Mrs Weasley were meeting with Dumbledore.

“This isn’t how we imagined handing over our present,” said George grimly, putting down a large wrapped gift on Ron’s bedside cabinet and sitting beside Ginny.

“Yeah, when we pictured the scene, he was conscious,” said Fred.

“You were in Hogsmeade?” asked Ginny, looking up.

“We were thinking of buying Zonko’s,” said Fred gloomily. “A Hogsmeade branch, you know, but a fat lot of good it’ll do us if you lot aren’t allowed out at weekends to buy our stuff anymore…But never mind that now.”

“I actually have a bone to pick with you about that,” Sarah said suddenly, turning to face the twins. “You need to stop selling those love potions. One of them was the cause of this entire thing.”

Fred and George winced.

“We’ve been thinking about that for a while,” Fred admitted. “Ever since you gave us an earful during the summer.”

Sarah smirked tiredly. “And I expect you to listen.”

There was a pause while they all watched Ron mumble a little in his sleep.

“So the poison was in the drink?” said Fred quietly.

“Yes,” said Harry at once. “Slughorn poured it out – “

“Would he have been able to slip something into Ron’s glass without you seeing?”

“Probably,” said Harry, “but why would Slughorn want to poison Ron?”

“No idea,” said Fred, frowning. “You don’t think he could have mixed up the glasses by mistake? Meaning to get you?”

“Why would Slughorn want to poison Harry?” Draco asked.

“I dunno,” said Fred, “but there must be loads of people who’d like to poison Harry, mustn’t there? ‘The Chosen One’ and all that?”

“So you think Slughorn’s a Death Eater?” said Ginny.

“Anything’s possible,” said Fred darkly.

“He could be under the Imperius Curse,” said George.

“Or he could be innocent,” said Ginny. “The poison could have been in the bottle, in which case it was probably meant for Slughorn himself.”

“Slughorn said he was meant to give the bottle to Dumbledore for Christmas,” Harry disagreed. “If the poison was in the bottle…”

“…It would have been meant for Dumbledore,” Sarah finished. “Did Slughorn say where he had gotten the bottle from?”

Harry shook his head.

“The poisoner didn’t know Slughorn very well, then,” said Hermione, speaking for the first time in hours and sounding as though she had a bad head cold. “Anyone who knew Slughorn would have known there was a good chance he’d keep something that tasty for himself.”

“Er-my-nee,” croaked Ron unexpectedly from between them.

They all fell silent, watching him anxiously, but after muttering incomprehensibly for a moment he merely started snoring. Sarah waved her wand over him before sitting down beside Fred again.

“He’s okay,” she assured.

The dormitory doors flew open, making them all jump: Hagrid came striding toward them, his hair rain-flecked, his bearskin coat flapping behind him, a crossbow in his hand, leaving a trail of muddy dolphin-sized footprints all over the floor.

“Bin in the forest all day!” he panted. “Aragog’s worse, I bin readin’ to him – didn’ get up ter dinner till jus’ now an’ then Professor Sprout told me abou’ Ron! How is he?”

“Not bad,” said Harry. “Sarah says he’ll be okay.”

“I don’ believe this,” said Hagrid hoarsely, shaking his great shaggy head as he stared down at Ron. “Jus’ don’ believe it…Look at him lyin’ there…Who’d want ter hurt him, eh?”

“That’s what we were just discussing,” said Draco. “We don’t know.”

“Someone couldn’ have a grudge against the Gryffindor Quidditch team, could they?” said Hagrid anxiously. “Firs’ Katie, now Ron…”

Sarah and Draco scoffed.

“I can’t see anyone trying to bump off a Quidditch team,” said George.

“Wood might’ve done the Slytherins if he could’ve got away with it,” said Fred fairly, squeezing Sarah fondly.

“He would’ve had a hard time trying,” Sarah muttered.

“Well, I don’t think it’s Quidditch, but I think there’s a connection between the attacks,” said Hermione quietly.

“How’d you work that out?” asked Fred.

“Well, for one thing, they both ought to have been fatal and weren’t, although that was pure luck. And for another, neither the poison nor the necklace seems to have reached the person who was supposed to be killed. Of course,” she added broodingly, “that makes the person behind this even more dangerous in a way, because they don’t seem to care how many people they finish off before they actually reach their victim.”

Before anybody could respond to this ominous pronouncement, the hospital wing’s doors opened again and Mr and Mrs Weasley hurried up the ward. They had done no more than satisfy themselves that Ron would make a full recovery before Mrs Weasley seized hold of Harry and hugged him very tightly. “Dumbledore told us how you saved him with the bezoar,” she sobbed. “Oh, Harry, what can we say? You saved Ginny…you save Arthur…now you’ve saved Ron…”

“Don’t be…I didn’t…” muttered Harry awkwardly, looking toward Draco for help.

“Half our family does seem to owe you their lives, now I stop and think about it,” Mr Weasley said in a constricted voice. “Well, all I can say is that it was a lucky day the Weasley’s when Ron decided to sit in your compartment on the Hogwarts Express, Harry.”

At that moment, Madam Pomfrey came out and reminded them that they could only have a limited number of visitors at one time. Sarah, Draco, Harry, and Hermione rose at once to leave the family alone, Hagrid decided to join them.

“It’s terrible,” growled Hagrid into his beard, as the five of them walked back along the corridor to the marble staircase. “All this new security, an’ kids are still getting’ hurt…Dumbledore’s worried sick…He don’ say much, but I can tell…”

“Hasn’t he got any ideas, Hagrid?” asked Hermione desperately.

“I ‘spect he’s got hundreds of ideas, brain like his,” said Hagrid. “But he doesn’ know who that necklace nor put poison in that wine, or they’d’ve bin caught, wouldn’ they? Wha’ worries me,” said Hagrid, lowering his voice and glancing over his shoulder, “is how long Hogwarts can stay open if kids are bein’ attacked. Chamber o’ Secrets all over again, isn’ it? There’ll be panic, more parents takin’ their kids outta school, an’ nex’ thing yeh know the board o’ governors’ll be talkin’ about shuttin’ us up fer good.”

“Surely not?” said Draco, slightly unnerved.

“Gotta see it from their point o’ view,” said Hagrid heavily. “I mean, it’s always bin a bit of a risk sendin’ a kid ter Hogwarts, hasn’ it? Yer expect accidents, don’ yeh, with hundreds of underage wizards all locked up together, but attempted murder, tha’s diff’rent. S’no wonder Dumbledore’s angry with Sn – “

Hagrid stopped in his tracks, a familiar, guilty expression on what was visible of his face above his tangled black beard.

“What?” said Sarah quickly. “Dumbledore’s angry with Snape?”

“I never said tha’” said Hagrid, though his look of panic could not have been a bigger giveaway, “Look at the time, it’s gettin’ on midnight, I need ter – “

“Hagrid, why is Dumbledore angry with Snape?” Harry asked loudly.

“Shhhh!” said Hagrid, looking both nervous and angry. “Don’ shout stuff like that, Harry, d’yeh wan’ me ter lose me job? Mind, I don’ suppose yeh’d care, would yeh, not now yeh’ve given up Care of Mag – “

“Don’t try and make me feel guilty, it won’t work!” said Harry forcefully. “What’s Snape done?”

“Dunno – I jus’ heard Snape sayin’ Dumbledore took too much fer granted and maybe he – Snape – didn’ wan’ ter do it anymore – “

Sarah stopped Harry when he opened his mouth to ask more questions.

“It won’t matter, anyway,” she said quietly. “We have other things to worry about.”

The Fat Lady was snoozing and not too pleased to be woken up when they arrived on the seventh floor, but she swung forward grumpily to allow them to clamber into the empty common room.

“Don’t you ever sleep in your own common room,” she muttered as Sarah and Draco climbed past.

Hermione bid them goodnight and disappeared to her room.

“There you are, Potter!”

Sarah jumped at the sudden loud voice in the dark room. She, Draco and Harry turned around to see Cormac McLaggen rising from a distant chair.

“I’ve been waiting for you to come back,” said McLaggen. “Must’ve fallen asleep. Look, I saw them taking Weasley up to the hospital wing earlier. Didn’t look like he’ll be fit for next week’s match.”

“You’re seriously talking about Quidditch?” Sarah said, scoffing in disbelief.

“So, I’ll be playing Keeper then?” McLaggen continued, ignoring Sarah.

She looked at Draco, raising an eyebrow, then looked back at McLaggen.

“Yeah, I suppose so…” said Harry, sounding extremely unenthusiastic.

“Excellent,” said McLaggen in a satisfied voice. “So when’s practice?”

“What? Oh…there’s on tomorrow evening.”

“Good. Listen, Potter, we should have a talk beforehand. I’ve got some ideas on strategy you might find useful.”

“Right,” said Harry. “Well, I’ll hear them tomorrow, then. I’m pretty tired now…see you…”

Harry walked past McLaggen without another word and Draco and Sarah followed quickly behind. Sarah gaped open-mouthed at the back of the towering seventh year.

“Is he for real?” she muttered to the boys as they walked up the staircase.

Harry sighed and rubbed his face. “Unfortunately, yes.”

The news that Ron had been poisoned spread quickly next day, but it did not cause the sensation that Katie’s attack had done. People seemed to think that it might have been an accident, given that he had been in the Potions master’s room at the time, and that as he had been given an antidote immediately there was no real harm done. In fact, the Gryffindors were generally much more interested in the upcoming Quidditch match against Hufflepuff, for many of them wanted to see Zacharias Smith, who played Chaser on the Hufflepuff team, punished soundly for his commentary during the opening match against Slytherin.

Sarah couldn’t decide who was more annoying: Cormac McLaggen or Lavender Brown. Both were constantly hounding Harry and consequentially, Sarah and Draco. McLaggen kept up a constant stream of hints that he would make a better permanent Keeper for the team than Ron, and that now that Harry was seeing him play regularly he would surely come around to this way of thinking too; he was also keen to criticise the other players and provide Harry with detailed training schemes, so that more than once Harry was forced to remind him who was Captain. On more than one occasion, Draco had to calm Harry down so that the other boy didn’t punch McLaggen.

Meanwhile, Lavender kept sidling up to Harry or Sarah to discuss Ron, which Sarah found almost more wearing than McLaggen’s Quidditch lectures. At first, Lavender had been very annoyed that nobody had thought to tell her that Ron was in the hospital – “I mean, I _am_ his girlfriend!” – but unfortunately she had now decided to forgive them all this lapse of memory and was keen to have lots of in-depth chats with her about Ron’s feelings, a most uncomfortable experience that Sarah would have happily forgone.

“Look, why don’t you talk to Ron about all this?” Sarah asked, after a particularly long interrogation from Lavender that took in everything from precisely what Ron had said about her new dress to whether or not Sarah thought that Ron considered his relationship with Lavender to be “serious”.

“Well, I would, but he’s always asleep when I got and see him!” said Lavender fretfully.

“Is he?” Sarah said, internally cursing Ron, for every time she had gone to give him a check-up, he had been perfectly alert.

“Is Hermione Granger still visiting him?” Lavender demanded suddenly.

“Yes,” said Sarah tiredly, hoisting her bag further onto her shoulder.

“Why?”

“They’re friends,” Sarah replied shortly.

“Friends, don’t make me laugh,” said Lavender scornfully. “She didn’t talk to him for weeks after he started going out with me! But I suppose she wants to make up with him now he’s all _interesting_ …”

Sarah rounded on the other girl. “Would you call getting poisoned interesting?” she said sharply. “I’ve got to go,” she added before Lavender could respond.

Sarah marched away, muttering under her breath.

“Will you stop pretending to be asleep when Lavender comes to see you? She’s driving me mad!” Sarah snapped when she halted at Ron’s bed in the hospital wing.

“Oh,” said Ron, looking sheepish. “Yeah. All right.”

“If you don’t want to go out with her anymore, just tell her,” said Sarah.

“Yeah…well…it’s not that easy, is it?” said Ron. Sarah scoffed and slapped him over the head.

“Deaumont!” Madam Pomfrey called from across the ward. “Don’t hit the patients!”

“He deserved it, trust me,” Sarah replied.

“Oi!”

“Stop complaining or I’ll hit you again,” Sarah said as she got to her feet.

“Tell me how the match goes!” Ron called after her. “And punch Smith if you can!”

Sarah hurried down through the deserted corridors; the whole school was outside, either already seated in the stadium or heading down toward it. She was looking out the windows as she passed, when a noise ahead made her glance up and she saw Crabbe walking toward her, accompanied by two girls, both of whom looked sulky and resentful.

Crabbe stopped short at the sight of Sarah, then gave a short, humourless laugh and continued walking.

“Where’re you going?” Sarah demanded.

“Yeah, I’m really going to tell you, because it’s your business, Deaumont,” sneered Crabbe. “You’d better hurry up or you’ll miss your bitch’s boyfriend fail.”

One of the girls gave an unwilling giggle. Sarah stared at her intensely, trying to remember if she recognised her or not. Crabbe pushed past Sarah and the trio disappeared.

Sarah stood rooted to the spot, thinking. Eventually, she shook her head and began to run down the corridor toward the Quidditch Pitch.

“Where have you been?” Draco demanded when she slid into the seat next to him in the Gryffindor stands.

“I bumped into Crabbe,” replied Sarah, stealing half of Draco’s blanket. “He was with two young girls near the hospital wing.”

“What was he doing?” frowned Draco.

“No clue, I didn’t follow him,” said Sarah. “I didn’t recognise the girls but they didn’t look happy.”

They fell quiet as the teams walked onto the pitch to loud cheers and shouts. The Captains shook hands and then on Madam Hooch’s whistle, the teams rose into the air.

“And that’s Smith of Hufflepuff with the Quaffle,” said a dreamy voice, echoing over the grounds. “He did the commentary last time, of course, and Ginny Weasley flew into him, I think probably on purpose, it looked like it. Smith was being quite rude about Gryffindor, I expect he regrets that now he’s playing them – oh, look, he’s lost the Quaffle, Ginny took it from him, I do like her, she’s very nice…”

Sarah leant forward and look toward the commentator’s box in disbelief. She let out a delighted laughed. There was no mistaking the dirty-blond hair, nor the necklace of butterbeer corks…Beside Luna, Professor McGonagall was looking slightly uncomfortable, as though she was indeed having second thoughts about this appointment.

“…but now that big Hufflepuff player’s got the Quaffle from her, I can’t remember his name, it’s something like Bibble – no, Buggins – “

“It’s Cadwallader!” said Professor McGonagall loudly from beside Luna. The crowd laughed.

Pansy let out a piercing cackle and said fondly, “I love Lovegood.”

“McGonagall’s pissed,” smirked Sarah. “This will be brilliant.”

“And Harry Potter’s now having an argument with his Keeper,” said Luna serenely. “I don’t think that’ll help him find the Snitch, but maybe it’s a clever ruse…”

Sarah looked up to see Harry zooming away angrily. Ginny and Demelza scored a goal apiece, giving the red-and-gold-clad supporters something to cheer about. Then Cadwallader scored again, making things level, but Luna did not seem to have noticed; she appeared singularly uninterested in such mundane things as the score, and kept attempting to draw the crowd’s attention to such things as interestingly shaped clouds and the possibility that Zacharias Smith, who had so far failed to maintain possession of the Quaffle for longer than a minute, was suffering from something called “Loser’s Lurgy.”

“Seventy-forty to Hufflepuff!” barked Professor McGonagall into Luna’s megaphone.

“Is it, already?” said Luna vaguely. “Oh, look! The Gryffindor Keeper’s got hold of one of the Beater’s bats.”

Sarah and Pansy were howling with laughter at this point and Sarah was blinking back tears as she looked up to see Harry flying quickly toward where McLaggen was demonstrating how to hit a Bludger.

Her smile dropped as McLaggen took a ferocious swipe at the Bludger and mishit it.

“Move! MOVE!”

Sarah vaulted down the steps toward the pitch, pushing people out of her way as she went.

“Get out of my way!” she shouted as she reached the ground.

The Gryffindor team split away from Harry’s prone form as Sarah dropped beside him.

“Someone get Madam Pomfrey!” Sarah ordered, tilting Harry’s head to look at the bloody wound on the back of it. “And would someone _please_ kill McLaggen!”

There was a scuffle on the edge of the scene and Sarah looked up quickly as her wand moved in a familiar pattern. Draco had reached the group and was trying to push through.

“Keep him away!” Sarah demanded. “Draco, stay back.”

“I can help!” Draco cried.

“No, I need Madam Pomfrey,” Sarah said calmly, “ _not_ a worried boyfriend.”

At that moment, Madam Pomfrey pushed through the crowd, snapping at the curious students.

“What in Merlin’s name happened?” she exclaimed, examining the wound.

“McLaggen and Bludger,” Sarah said stiffly. “He was unconscious before he hit the ground. I managed to slow it so he didn’t break any bones.”

“Let’s go,” Madam Pomfrey said, Conjuring a stretcher.

Sarah managed to avoid leaving the hospital wing and ripping McLaggen’s head off, but only barely. After she and Madam Pomfrey had fixed Harry’s cracked skull, she let Draco and Hermione in.

“What happened?” Ron asked them. “Sarah’s refused to say anything but she’s been muttering under her breath. She’s freaking me out.”

“McLaggen got off goals and hit a Bludger at Harry,” Draco said savagely.

“On purpose?” Ron gaped.

“It doesn’t matter,” Sarah spat, rounding on them. “Harry had a cracked skull because of that _idiot_!”

The boy in question began to stir and then sat up in bed.

“Nice of you to drop in,” said Ron, grinning.

Draco smacked him over the back of the head.

Harry raised a hand and touched his bandaged head.

“What happened?”

“Cracked skull,” said Sarah, walking up and pushing him back against the pillows. “Rest. Pomfrey wants you here overnight. You shouldn’t overexert yourself for a few hours.”

“I don’t want to stay here overnight,” said Harry angrily, sitting up and throwing back his covers. “I want to find McLaggen and kill him.”

“Tough,” said Sarah. “That would fall under the heading of ‘overexertion’.” She pushed him back onto the bed and raised her wand in a threatening manner.

“How much did we lose by?” Harry muttered, slumping against the covers.

Both Hermione and Draco hesitated. Harry stared at them until Draco relented.

“Final score was three hundred and twenty to sixty,” Draco admitted quietly.

“Brilliant,” said Harry savagely. “Really brilliant! When I get a hold of McLaggen – “

“Sarah’s already muttered every possible torture someone can think of,” Hermione stated. “I honestly don’t think you could add any more.”

“Also, you don’t want to get hold of him, he’s the size of a troll,” said Ron reasonably. “Personally, I think there’s a lot to be said for hexing him with that toenail thing of the Prince’s. Anyway, the rest of the team might’ve dealt with him before you get out of here…”

There was a not of badly suppressed glee in Ron’s voice; Sarah could tell he was nothing short of thrilled that McLaggen had messed up so badly.

“I’m going to go tell the others that you’re all right,” Hermione said, giving Harry a quick hug. “Get some rest.”

“I could hear the match commentary from here,” said Ron, his voice shaking with laughter. “I hope Luna always commentates from now on… _Loser’s Lurgy_ …”

Eventually, Sarah and Draco said goodnight to Harry and Ron and went back to the Slytherin common room.

“Wow, so you do remember we exist,” Blaise drawled from the couch in front of the fire.

“Aw, did you miss us, Blaisey?” cooed Sarah. She placed herself delicately on his lap as Draco took the armchair beside Theo.

“Of course not,” Blaise scoffed. “But one can only deal with Theodore and Pansy for so long without help.”

Sarah patted his cheek. “Sure, darling.”

She got off his lap and instead lounged across Draco’s armchair, falling into him like a cat.

“Have we missed anything that Pansy hasn’t been able to hiss at us in class?” Draco asked.

“Not unless you count Blaise causing a fight,” Theo said.

“Blaise started a fight?” Sarah said in disbelief. “ _Blaise_?”

“I would be perfectly capable of issuing a fight,” Blaise sniffed.

“Evidently,” Theo muttered.

“Enlighten me, Theo darling,” requested Sarah, tilting her head back to look at him.

Theo smirked at the other boy.

“Blaise, here, thought it would be a wonderful idea to hook up with a girl while he was already involved with another,” Theo explained.

“Blaise, you didn’t!” gasped Sarah.

“Who were the unfortunate birds?” Draco asked curiously.

“Viviane Grassi and Astoria Greengrass,” Theo grinned.

Both Sarah and Draco winced.

“You seriously didn’t shag Daphne’s younger sister?” Draco said.

Blaise raised his head proudly and said, “Of course I didn’t. It was only a snog – maybe mild groping.”

“ _Mild groping_?”

Blaise shrugged.

“You’re ridiculous,” Sarah said, shaking her head.

“How’s Potter?” Blaise asked, changing the subject.

“He’s fine,” Draco said. “Sarah and Pomfrey fixed him right up.”

“No thanks to that scumbag, McLaggen,” hissed Sarah. “Theo, how much could I pay you to hold him down while I castrate him?”

“Will I get my clothes dirty?” he asked.

“Most likely,” Sarah replied.

“If you pay for dry cleaning costs, then I’m in,” Theo said nonchalantly.

“What about me?” Blaise demanded. “Why don’t I get an invitation?”

“Because you’ll make it inappropriate,” Sarah stated.

“And me?” Draco said, smirking slightly.

“You were obviously already included in the plan,” said Sarah.

“Ouch, now I’m feeling really left out,” complained Blaise.

“Maybe you shouldn’t cheat on your girlfriends and you wouldn’t be left alone?” suggested Pansy, sliding into the seat beside Theo.

“And the she-devil is here,” drawled Blaise. “Yay…”

“Rude,” scolded Pansy. “I just came to see if the rumours that our two pseudo-Gryffindors had returned was true.” She glanced pointedly at Sarah and Draco. “It’s been weeks, loves, you need to show some House loyalty.”

“We show House loyalty,” Draco disagreed, “from within Gryffindor Tower.”

Pansy rolled her eyes. “Not that I’m not glad to see you,” she said dryly, “but why _are_ you here?”

“Harry and Ron are both in the hospital wing and I think I should give Hermione a night off,” explained Sarah. “Thus, you get the honour of enjoying our presence.”

“Lovely,” Pansy said brightly. “We’ll have a girls night. There’s a lot I need to tell you.”

“I literally saw you a few hours ago,” Sarah said flatly.

“Yes, but you were slightly preoccupied,” Pansy said, flapping a hand around. “This is girls only. The boys aren’t invited.”

“Ouch.”

“Rude.”

“Thank Merlin.”

Blaise and Draco looked at Theo aghast.

“Theo, think of all the juicy gossip we’ll be missing!” Blaise said in a scandalised voice. “And it’s extremely likely that the girls will only be in their pyjamas – OUCH!”

Pansy smirked as Blaise rubbed the back of his head, pouting slightly.

“I don’t know why you hit me,” he whined. “I’ve already seen Daphne naked.”

“Yes. _Daphne_ ,” Pansy said primly. “Not Sarah or me and I intend to keep it that way.”

Sarah nodded in agreement.

“Blaise, your pervy characteristics are beginning to become worrisome,” Theo noted. “Be careful or you may get arrested.”

“Trust me,” Sarah said pointedly, “he’ll be hexed before he’s arrested.”

“You all wound me,” Blaise pouted. “I’m delicate. I cannot take all this verbal hatred.”

They all ignored him.

“Come, darling!” trilled Pansy, jumping to her feet and grabbing Sarah’s arm. “There are things to be done and rumours to discuss!”

Sarah waved goodbye to the others and let Pansy drag her away into their dormitory.

***

“How much fun do you think we’re missing out on?” Blaise asked into the empty common room.

Draco sighed and raised his head from where he had been dozing in an armchair.

“Blaise, I was in a happy place,” he chided. “Why did you disturb me?”

“I was just wondering how much the girls are talking about that we’ll never know!” Blaise complained.

“ _You’ll_ never know,” Theo corrected in a heavy voice. “Sarah will tell Draco everything tomorrow.”

Blaise huffed and crossed his arms. “Damn you two and your physic connection.”

Draco sat up and stared at the dark-skinned boy incredulously.

“ _Physic connection_?” he repeated. “It’s called communication. Maybe you’d have that if you didn’t just sleep with everyone you met and instead tried to make friends.”

“I have friends,” argued Blaise. “You and Theo are my friends and the girls. Why on earth would I need any more? That’s just so much effort for so little reward.”

Draco and Theo let out identical frustrated groans.

“I don’t think I can deal with Blaise’s melodramatics tonight,” Theo said. “Care to join me for a drink, Draco?”

“Merlin, yes.”

The pair got up and headed toward their room.

“Hey! Don’t leave me here alone!” Blaise shouted after them.

“You have legs!” Draco called back. “Use them!”

“You absolute fucker!”

“Get your skinny arse up here before we drink it all,” Theo said.

“Don’t even think about it, wankers!”

***

Sarah smirked as Draco, Theo and Blaise trooped into breakfast the next morning. All three boys looked extremely dishevelled and hungover.

“Rough night?” Pansy drawled from across the table.

“Ughmmm.”

“Sorry, what was that darling? I didn’t quite catch it?” Sarah said lightly.

Draco and Theo dropped down on either side of Sarah as Blaise slid into the seat beside Pansy. Wordlessly, Sarah handed each boy a bacon sandwich.

“You’re a queen,” Theo mumbled around his mouthful.

“A goddess walking on the earth,” Draco added, slumping against Sarah’s side.

“I take back anything cruel I’ve ever said to you,” Blaise said.

“What about me?” demanded Pansy. “I let you all sleep in without dousing you in water!”

“You set the bar so low, Pansy, dear,” Blaise muttered, leaning on Pansy’s shoulder.

“You’re horrible,” Pansy said, patting his short hair.

“Did you get any sleep last night, darling?” Sarah said quietly to Draco.

“No,” moaned Draco. “And Blaise used up all my supply of Hangover Potion the last time.”

“Ah, yes, sorry about that,” Sarah said.

She reached into her bag and pulled out three vials.

“Does this make up for it?” she grinned.

The boys let out identical groans of gratitude. Pansy huffed with laughter as they all downed the potions.

“You didn’t even check what they were,” Sarah said in amusement, shaking her head.

“Right now, anything is better than how I’m feeling,” Blaise said, sighing in relief when the potion began to work. “Did we miss anything interesting last night?”

“Just us walking into your room to find you butt naked, face down on the floor,” Pansy smirked.

Blaise hummed, “No wonder I was so cold last night.”

“I gave you a blanket,” Sarah said. “After I stopped laughing.”

“I’ll take it,” Blaise acquiesced.

“Look what the crup dragged in,” drawled Theo, nodding at the door.

Harry and Ron were standing there, attracting a lot of attention. Lavender had attached herself to Ron and appeared to be currently attempting to snog his face off. Draco waved Harry over and the other boy gratefully walked toward them.

“I honestly thought he was over that,” Harry said in disappointment.

“He’s a boy, Potter,” Pansy said. “He’s not thinking with his upstairs brain.”

“That’s disgusting, Pansy,” Draco said, scrunching up his nose. “Don’t be vulgar at breakfast.”

“So only lunch and dinner, then?” she smirked.

“Bint.”

Sarah turned to Harry as Draco and Pansy began to bicker loudly across the table.

“I bumped into Crabbe before the match yesterday,” she told him quietly. “He was heading further into the castle and had two young girls with him.”

“Ok, first off, that’s slightly worrying,” Harry said. “How young were the girls?”

“First or second years,” Sarah replied. “But I didn’t recognise them. And it wasn’t like that. It was like they were his minions or something.”

“What happened to Goyle?”

“I don’t know. Maybe he got sick of him?”

Harry frowned. “I asked Kreacher and Dobby to watch him – “

“You did what? That’s ridiculous!”

“ – and they’ll get back to me in a few days,” Harry finished.

“You asked house-elves to watch him?” Sarah demanded. “Harry, that’s obsessive even for you.”

“I just want to know what he’s doing,” Harry said. “I checked the map once and he wasn’t on it. Only Hogsmeade doesn’t show up.”

“And the Room of Requirement,” said Sarah. “That’s why we used it for lessons, remember?”

Harry stared at her in stunned silence.

“You’re a bloody genius!” he exclaimed, wrapping his arms around her.

“I know that but why is it so important?” she laughed.

“Well, now that we know where he’s likely going, we can watch him and figure out what he’s doing,” Harry explained.

“ _Or_ we let Dobby and Kreacher handle it and then tell McGonagall or Snape,” suggested Sarah. “Or better yet, Remus and Sirius – they can tell the Order.”

“What are you two whispering about?”

Sarah and Harry looked up at the sudden voice.

“Ron!” Sarah greeted. “Good to see you up and about.”

“Yeah, thanks for looking after me while I was in the hospital wing,” he replied.

Sarah waved her hand at him. “Don’t worry about it. Where’s your leech?” she said, looking around the blond girl.

“I – er – told her I would see her later,” Ron said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head.

Sarah raised an eyebrow at him. “So, you’re finally planning on calling it quits?”

“Er – maybe – yeah…” Ron muttered.

“Excellent!” Blaise said suddenly. “We’ll throw a party!”

“We drank all the booze last night, idiot,” Theo said.

“Surely not,” gaped Blaise.

“There was a reason you were butt naked on the floor and trust me, it wasn’t because of us,” Theo said.

“And that’s my cue to leave,” Ron announced. “I don’t want to hear about Blaise’s drunk escapades.”

“Don’t worry, he only got as far as Draco’s bed before he passed out,” Theo assured.

“Still too much skin on display,” shuddered Draco in disgust.

“Draco, you’re gay!” Blaise said in a hurt voice. “You should be extremely attracted to my gorgeous body!”

“Wow, he sure is modest,” muttered Ron to Sarah.

“Just because I’m gay doesn’t mean I want to look at your pasty arse!” Draco snapped back.

“My arse is not pasty!” cried Blaise. “Ask anyone. Everyone wants a piece of my arse.”

“Yep, even I’m going to call it there,” Sarah said, getting to her feet. “Enjoy shouting at each other about Blaise’s arse.”


	11. Chapter Eleven

“I can’t believe you used Felix Felicis to get that memory,” Sarah said, shaking her head at Harry.

“What?” he said. “It worked didn’t it?”

“I’m just more astounded it was at the funeral of a giant acromantula,” Draco commented lightly.

The three of them were lying under the oak tree in front of the lake. Draco was stroking his hand through Sarah’s hair as she studied a Healing textbook.

“So, Dumbledore said that Voldemort split his souls into pieces and hid them in various objects?” Sarah summarised.

Harry nodded in agreement. “We’ve already gotten rid of two – the diary and Dumbledore destroyed a ring. Dumbledore thinks that there’s also Helga Hufflepuff’s cup and Slytherin’s locket. There’s probably something of Ravenclaw’s as well. And maybe Nagini.”

“Not Gryffindor?”

“No, the only relic is Godric Gryffindor’s sword,” Harry said. “We just have to figure out where the others are.”

“That won’t be easy,” Sarah frowned.

“No, it won’t,” Harry agree heavily.

Draco hummed into the ensuing silence.

“Did you hear Hermione passed her Apparation test?” he said. “It’s unfair we can’t do it until August.”

“Don’t remind me,” Sarah said. She looked down at Harry’s watch. “I have to go, I’m going to be late for Pomfrey.”

***

“At this rate, I think you’ll be able to take preliminary exams early next year and enter a proper apprenticeship,” Madam Pomfrey told her after Sarah discharged a fourth-year patient. “Of course, I’ve been speaking with a few of my old colleagues at St Mungo’s and – “

“POPPY!”

Sarah and Madam Pomfrey looked up at the sudden shout as the doors to the hospital wing banged open. Professor Snape staggered into the ward, supporting a white-faced Draco, both of them covered in blood.

The pair took a few more steps forward before Sarah and the nurse was upon them, levitating Draco to a bed and cutting open his tattered shirt.

“What happened?” gasped Madam Pomfrey and she examined the wounds.

Sarah felt slightly sick looking at the multiple deep lacerations painting Draco’s chest. Blood flowed freely from a few of the wounds while others looked half-healed.

“Potter,” spat Snape.

Sarah froze in shock for a moment. “ _Harry_ did this?”

“I found them in a second-floor bathroom,” Snape explained. “I need to go back to deal with Potter. Use this spell.”

Madam Pomfrey frowned as Professor Snape recited an incantation and stalked away.

“Sarah, put your emotions aside right now,” she said sternly. “We need to help Mr Malfoy.”

Sarah nodded and rolled her sleeves up. They worked tirelessly to close the wounds using the spell Snape had given them. Despite the Dittany they sprinkled across the cuts, Sarah knew Draco was going to scar.

After a few hours, Madam Pomfrey told her to sit down while she gathered some potions for Draco. Sarah collapsed into the seat beside his bed and fought back tears. She had never seen him so pale – he had nearly died. She had no idea how Harry had done this.

At that moment, the hospital wing’s door’s inched open and an exhausted Harry walked in.

Sarah looked up before dropping her head back into her hands.

“Is he all right?” Harry asked quietly.

“Mr Potter, Mr Malfoy is unable to have visitors at the moment,” Madam Pomfrey said sternly.

“But – “

“No buts,” interrupted Pomfrey.

“It’s okay, Madam Pomfrey,” Sarah said. “I want to talk to him.”

Madam Pomfrey watched her for a moment before nodding. She frowned at Harry and then disappeared into her office.

“Tell me what happened, Harry,” Sarah said emotionlessly.

“Sarah – it was an accident – I didn’t mean to – “

“Potter, tell me what happened.”

Harry stepped closer and said quietly, “After you left, Draco and I walked around the castle and heard someone crying in Myrtle’s bathroom. When we went in, it was Crabbe. He attacked us and went to use the Cruciatus on me…” Sarah waited in silence for Harry to finish. “But when I cast my spell, Crabbe moved and it hit – it hit Draco…” he finished in a pained voice. “Will he be okay?”

“He lost a lot of blood,” Sarah said. “And he’ll scar. What spell did you use?”

“Sectumsempra…” Harry whispered. “I didn’t know what it would do.”

“You didn’t know what it would do and you still used it?” demanded Sarah, getting to her feet. Tears pricked her eyes as she rounded on Harry. “Draco nearly _died_! And if it hadn’t hit him it would have hit Crabbe. What if Snape hadn’t been nearby? What would you have done?”

“I would have gotten him here as fast as possible,” Harry said frantically.

“We would have been useless without the spell Snape told us!” Sarah exclaimed.

“Sarah, it was an accident – I’m sorry!” Harry cried.

It was then that all the pent-up stress and worry broke free. Sarah burst into tears and collapsed against Harry’s chest, sobbing into his shirt.

“He could have died. He could have died,” she wept.

Harry held her until her sobs subsided and she calmed down.

“I’m staying here tonight,” Sarah said in a scratchy voice. “He needs regular potions.”

Harry nodded and helped her back into the chair.

“Can I stay as well?” he asked.

Sarah hummed in agreement and Summoned another chair to sit beside her own.

“Every two hours he needs another dose,” she explained, settling back and Conjuring a blanket.

Time ticked by slowly, the only sounds being Draco’s even breaths and the quiet noises of animals outside. Harry nodded off at one point, his head resting on Sarah’s shoulder. She sat in silence, watching as Draco’s bandaged chest rose up and down. Every two hours, she tipped a potion down his throat and then some water, cringing at his bloodless face. In the early morning, Madam Pomfrey told Sarah to get some rest and promised to watch over Draco. Exhausted, she sagged against Harry’s side and let herself fall into a dreamless slumber.

***

Draco remained in the hospital wing for over two weeks. Madam Pomfrey took him out of the medically induced coma three days after the incident. Sarah had held his hand and spoken to him in quiet whispers as he struggled with the memories of the event. Harry had succumbed to tears when he saw Draco awake, apologising every few seconds.

After he was discharged, Draco spent most of the time in the library trying to catch up on what he missed in class. Hermione and Sarah helped him, and surprisingly, so did Pansy.

“You all seem to forget that I’m not actually stupid,” Pansy drawled when Sarah asked why she was holing up in the library with them instead of tanning in the sun. “Besides, I miss spending time with you dears.”

“You’re sick of Blaise and Theo, aren’t you?” Sarah stated.

“They’re horrible and I can’t spend one more minute alone with them,” Pansy exclaimed

Snape had given Harry every Saturday until the end of the term, including the day of the Quidditch final. He was extremely upset about that, considering that Slytherin had won against Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff and were currently in the lead for the Quidditch Cup. Harry was also upset about the fact that Draco was distancing himself slightly.

“Have you spoken with him?” Sarah asked Harry after Draco left her for the library when Harry walked up to them after lunch.

“He hasn’t given me the opportunity,” Harry said sadly. “I don’t blame him. I was stupid and he got hurt.”

“Talk to him,” she urged. “The two of you just need to clear the air. He’s probably doesn’t even mean to pull away.”

“I can’t seem to get him alone,” Harry sighed.

“I’ll help. Meet us at the abandoned third floor classroom,” Sarah said. “After dinner.”

***

Harry tapped his foot as he waited impatiently in the abandoned classroom. Sarah was late. What if Draco didn’t want to talk to him? What if they couldn’t move past this? Merlin, he had _hurt_ Draco. It was an accident but still – how does someone feel safe when the one who is meant to protect them, hurts them? What if – ?

The door opened and snapped Harry out of his frenzied thoughts. He sat up straighter as Draco walked in before pausing, shaking his head with a slight smile.

“Of course,” he said wryly. “I was wondering why Sarah led me here. She’s meddling, isn’t she?”

“I needed to talk to you but you’ve been avoiding me,” Harry said softly.

Draco sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

“I’m sorry,” he said sincerely. “I haven’t really been meaning to. I just…”

“I understand,” Harry assured. “I just need to you to that I am so, _so_ sorry for hitting you with that curse. I was so worried. Sarah said that if Snape wasn’t there you would have…”

“Harry, _Harry stop,”_ Draco said, moving quickly forward and taking Harry’s hands. “I don’t blame you.”

“You don’t?” Harry said, relief filling his body.

“No,” assured Draco, smiling softly. “I’m sorry I’ve been pulling away from you. It was an accident. Crabbe was about to curse you – you couldn’t have guessed that he would move.”

“I _hurt_ you, Draco,” whispered Harry. “You could have died.”

“But I didn’t,” said Draco in a strong voice. “I’m okay. We both are.”

“You have scars.”

“So do you.”

Draco brushed a finger gently across Harry’s forehead.

“Harry, I forgive you,” he said. “Yes, you hurt me but I know you would never do it intentionally. Sarah told me how you sat with me every day until I woke up.”

“I wanted to make sure you were okay,” Harry muttered, blushing slightly. “How bad are the scars?”

“See for yourself,” Draco said. He took a step back and unbutton his shirt, shrugging it off his shoulders.

Harry flinched slightly at the sight of the pale, thin scars crisscrossing Draco’s chest and abdomen. The longest one ran from his right shoulder all the way down to his left hipbone. Harry tentatively reached out a hand and ran his finger down it.

“See? I’m fine,” said Draco. He stepped closer to Harry and cupped his face with his hands. “Don’t worry about me.”

“I always worry about you,” Harry smiled.

“I know,” smirked Draco.

“I love you,” breathed Harry.

Draco pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

“I love you, too.”

***

Gryffindor won the last Quidditch match, overtaking Slytherin for the Quidditch Cup. The party in the Gryffindor common room was wild. Somehow, Seamus and Dean had smuggled drinks from Hogsmeade and had gotten food from the kitchens.

The team was right in the middle of it, receiving pats on the backs and drinks passed to them. Even though Harry didn’t play, he was still getting congratulated at every turn. Thankfully, Katie had returned from St Mungo’s in top condition in time for the game and with Ron back in the team, Harry had gratefully gotten rid of McLaggen, much to the relief of everyone.

Not everyone was enjoying the party, however. Lavender was standing in a corner with Parvati, glaring at Ron with red eyes. He had finally grown a pair and broken up with her. Sarah hadn’t been able to stop laughing every time she saw Ron get flustered by the angry girl. Hermione was now significantly friendlier toward the redhead now.

Sarah looked out across the raucous crowd and smiled slightly. Even though things were getting more worrisome outside the school, people still managed to hold onto a shred of innocence. Remus had sent Sarah a brief letter updating her on what they were doing and planning. He couldn’t give her details but he had assured her that both he and Sirius were okay.

A sudden burst of laughter caught her attention and she looked up to see Draco and Harry snogging passionately in the middle of the crowd. Students whooped and chanted at them and Sarah rolled her eyes.

“They look like they’re having fun,” Hermione’s voice said wryly from beside her.

Sarah tilted her head toward the other girl and smirked.

“If only we were so lucky,” she said.

Hermione snorted.

“I think I’ve had enough of boys for a while,” she stated, eyeing the section of the room which Sarah knew Ron was. “Let’s focus on actual issues instead of boys, shall we?”

“Talk for yourself,” Sarah sighed. “I miss my boyfriend.”

“The year’s almost over,” Hermione reassured, patting Sarah’s arm. “You’ll see Fred soon.”

Sarah frowned and hesitated before saying, “I’m not too sure, Hermione.”

“What do you mean?” Hermione asked quietly, sitting down beside her.

“I think everything is just about to begin,” Sarah admitted. “We know about the Horcruxes but we still have to find them, and I _know_ Harry is planning on searching for them – which means Draco will go and obviously so will I – “

“Sarah, we’re all going,” Hermione interrupted. “There’s no way Ron and I will let Harry _or_ the three of you go off on your own.”

“We shouldn’t even have to,” Sarah sighed. “But now that Dumbledore has planted the image in Harry’s head…”

Hermione nodded. “He’s never going to let it go.”

Sarah sighed deeply.

“Then our job is to keep him alive.”


	12. Chapter Twelve

“Harry? Harry, what’s going on?” Sarah fired questions off questions as Harry raced around the boy’s dorm.

“Dumbledore’s found one!” he exclaimed. He had his Invisibility Cloak in one hand and a small bottle in the other. “We’re going to get it.”

“What? Now?” Draco demanded.

Harry nodded.

“Here.” He shoved the small bottle into Sarah’s hands. It was his bottle of Felix Felicis. “All of you have a sip. I feel like you’ll need it tonight. I heard Crabbe celebrating in the Room of Requirement before I went to Dumbledore.”

“Harry, wait – “ Draco tried.

“Harry, you should take some of this,” Hermione said, indicating the potion. “What if you need it?”

“I’ll be with Dumbledore, I’ll be fine,” Harry panted, rummaging through his trunk and pulling out the Marauder’s Map. “Keep an eye on the Map.”

“Harry, slow down, mate – “

“I can’t!” Harry shouted. “Dumbledore’s waiting for me. I have to go.”

He stopped before he left the room and looked at the four of them.

“I’ll see you soon,” he promised – and then he was gone.

“What on _earth_ is happening?” Sarah exclaimed. “Why the fuck would Dumbledore take a _student_?”

“Come on,” Ron said.

They began to patrol the corridors after they had each taken a small sip of Felix Felicis.

Currently, Sarah and Draco were watching the seventh floor near the Room of Requirement. Everything was quiet.

“I don’t like this at all,” Draco muttered quietly to Sarah.

“Me neither,” agreed Sarah.

Draco frowned. “Do you think Harry’s all right?”

“I don’t know,” breathed Sarah. “I hope so.”

At that moment, the door to the Room of Requirement appeared. The door opened and suddenly the entire corridor was pitch black.

“Sarah, where are you?” Draco called.

“I was right next to you!” she replied, groping around in the dark. “Is that you?”

“Yes. Thank Merlin,” Draco said. Sarah tightened her grip on his arm. “What is this?”

“Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder,” growled Sarah. “It’s from Fred and George’s store.”

“ _Lumos_!” Draco whispered. The end of his wand lit up but failed to illuminate their surroundings.

“We have to get out of here,” Sarah said. She put one hand in front of her and held Draco tightly with the other. She took a few quick steps forward until her hand bumped into a wall. Running her hand left to right, she randomly chose a direction and started walking. Thankfully, after a few meters, the darkness disappeared and they could see the corridor again.

“DOWN!” Sarah shouted, pulling Draco to the ground as a burst of spell flew over their heads.

Sarah aimed blindly in front of her and heard a pained grunt as her non-verbal spell hit someone and then another as Draco’s did the same.

“Let’s go!”

Draco hauled her to her feet and they ran down the corridor, shotting spells whenever a hooded figure appeared before them. As they were rounding a corner, Sarah ran straight into someone. She instinctively raised her wand before a familiar voice said, “Sarah!”

“Sirius?” Sarah said, looking into the worried grey eyes. “Oh, thank Merlin!”

“What’s going on? Minnie called us here but didn’t have time to explain,” Sirius asked.

“Dumbledore and Harry had to leave the school,” Draco explained as they began to move down the corridor again. “Harry thought something would happen tonight because he heard Crabbe celebrating in the Room of Requirement.”

“Crabbe?”

“He’s been planning something all year,” Sarah said succinctly. “I think he might have been the one that caused Katie Bell and Ron’s injuries.”

Sirius ducked as a spell shot toward him.

“We’ll worry about that later,” he said. “We have to find the others.”

They continued racing through the corridors, spotting various groups of Order members and D.A students fighting alongside each other. Death Eaters shouted to one another as spells missed their targets and bounced off the stone walls.

“The Felix Felicis is working!” Draco shouted to them as yet another spell soared over their heads.

“Sarah!”

Sarah spun around as Fred raced toward her.

“Fred!”

“Are you okay?” he asked, worriedly. There was a scratch down the side of his face but overall, he looked fine.

“Yes, you?” she said.

“I’m fine,” he assured. “But Greyback got Bill – Remus was with him last I saw them.”

“Where?” demanded Sirius. He broke out into a run and the others followed after him.

“Near the Astronomy Tower,” Fred panted. “A few of the Death Eaters went up it before one of them blocked the entrance.”

They found the main battle in the corridor leading to the Astronomy Tower. Professors McGonagall and Sprout were battling three Death Eaters and McGonagall’s Scottish brogue echoed against the walls.

Ginny, Neville and Luna were holding their own while they stood in front of Remus’s hunched figure. He was kneeling beside Bill’s unconscious body, wand moving quickly. Sarah ran toward them as quickly as she could, jumping over bodies and debris.

“Remus! How can I help?” Sarah shouted over the sound of the battle.

“Stop the bleeding!” he replied.

Bill’s face was severely slashed up and bleeding profusely. He had a lost a lot of blood but Sarah was just glad that it wasn’t a full moon tonight.

“HARRY?”

Sarah’s head shot up at Draco’s shout. Harry had appeared from nowhere and was racing after a group of fleeing Death Eaters.

“HARRY!” Draco shouted again and then ran off.

“Draco, no!” Sarah called.

“Go, Sarah!” Remus shouted. “We’ll be fine.”

Sarah scrambled to her feet and raced after the blond but then a body slammed into her: Sarah fell backwards, with filthy matted hair in her face, the stench of sweat and blood filling her nose and mouth, hot greedy breath at her throat – “

“ _Petrificus Totalus!”_

Sarah rolled away as the body atop her collapsed. She glanced down to see that it was Fenrir Greyback. Without a second thought, she kicked him as hard as she could in the groin and then hurried in the direction Draco and Harry had disappeared in. A jet of green light arched toward her and she ducked. Red hair flying like flames caught her attention: Ginny was locked in combat with a lumpy Death Eater who was giggling as he threw hex after hex at her, _“Crucio – Crucio –_ you can’t dance forever, pretty – “

“ _Impedimenta!”_ yelled Sarah.

Her jinx hit the Death Eater in the chest; he gave a piglike squeal of pain, was lifted off his feet and slammed into the opposite wall. He slid down it and fell out of sight behind Ron, Professor McGonagall and Tonks, each of whom was battling a separate Death Eater.

Sarah launched herself forward but her foot caught on something and next moment, she was lying across someone’s legs. Looking around, she saw Neville’s pale, round face flat against the floor.

“Neville, are you - ?”

“M’all right,” muttered Neville, who was clutching his stomach, “Sarah…Snape ‘n’ Crabbe…ran past…Harry ‘n’ Draco too…”

“I know, I’m on it!” said Sarah, aiming a hex from the floor at an enormous bond Death Eater who was causing the most chaos. The man gave a howl of pain as the spell hit him in the face. Sarah scrambled up from the floor and began to sprint along the corridor, ignoring the bangs issuing from behind her, the yells of the others to come back, and the mute call of the figures on the ground whose fate she did not know…

She skidded around the corner, her shoes slippery with blood; Draco and Harry had an immense head start, and that wasn’t even including Snape and Crabbe. Was it possible they had already gotten away? Or had the Order taking steps to prevent escape? She could hear nothing but her own pounding feet, her own hammering heart as she sprinted along the next empty corrido, but then spotted a bloody footprint that showed at least one of the fleeing Death Eaters was heading toward the front doors –

She flew around another corner and a curse soared past her; she dived behind a suit of armour that exploded. She saw two similar-looking Death Eaters from before running down the marble staircase ahead and aimed jinxes at them, but merely hit several bewigged witches in a portrait on the landing, who ran screeching into neighbouring paintings. As she leapt from behind the wreckage of armour, Sarah heard more shouts and screams; other people within the castle seemed to have awoken…

She pelted toward a shortcut, hoping to overtake the Death Eaters ahead of him and close in on wherever Draco and Harry could be. Remembering to leap the vanishing step halfway down the concealed staircase, she burst through a tapestry at the bottom and out into a corridor where a number of bewildered and pyjama-clad Hufflepuffs stood.

“Sarah!” We heard a noise, and someone said something about the Dark Mark – “ began Ernie Macmillan.

“Out of the way!” yelled Sarah, knocking tow boys aside as she sprinted toward the landing and down the remainder of the marble staircase. The oak front doors had been blasted open, there were smears of blood on the flagstones and several terrified students stood huddled against the walls, one or two still cowering with their arms over their faces. The giant Gryffindor hourglass had been hit by a curse and the rubies within were still falling, with a loud rattle, onto the flagstones below.

Sarah flew across the entrance hall and out into the dark grounds: she could just make out five figures racing across the lawn, heading for the gates. By the looks of them, it was the huge blond Death Eater and some way ahead of him, Snape and Crabbe. A glint of moonlight on silver-white hair revealed that the two figures further back were Draco and Harry.

The cold night ripped at Sarah’s lungs as she tore after them; she saw a flash of light in the distance that momentarily silhouetted her quarry. She did not know what it was but continued to run, not yet near enough to get a good aim with a curse –

Another flash, shouts, retaliatory jets of light, and Sarah understood: Hagrid had emerged from his cabin and was trying to stop the Death Eaters escaping, and though every breath seems to shred her lungs and the stitch in her chest was like fire, Sarah sped up as an unbidden voice in her head said: _not Hagrid…not Hagrid_ …

Something clipped Sarah’s ear and she spun around, firing a spell. Miraculously, her jinx hit one of the people following her, who stumbled and fell, tripping up the other; Sarah ignored them and sprinted on after the group.

And now she saw the vast outline of Hagrid, illuminated by the light of the crescent moon revealed suddenly behind the clouds; the blond Death Eater was aiming curse after curse at the gamekeeper, but Hagrid’s immense strength and the toughened skin he had inherited from his giantess mother seemed to be protecting him.

A loud voice cut through the night, followed by a burst of spell, “ _Stupefy!”_

It was Harry’s voice.

The huge Death Eater ahead yelled, ” _Incendio!”_ Sarah heard an explosive bang and a dancing orange light spilt over the grounds: Hagrid’s house was on fire.

“Fang’s in there, yer evil - !” Hagrid bellowed.

Sarah skidded to a halt in front of the burning house and shot spell after spell trying to douse the fire. Draco appeared from the other side, doing the same thing.

“Where’s Harry?” Sarah shouted.

“Going after Snape!” yelled Draco.

Shouts caught Sarah’s attention as Hagrid dived into his house, ripping to door off its hinges. Suddenly, Harry appeared beside her.

“Snape’s gone,” he muttered, clutching at his bleeding head. “He and Crabbe are gone.”

Just then, Hagrid emerged from out of the flames carrying Fang on his back. Harry sank to his knees, his whole body shaking violently.

“Harry, are you okay?” Sarah asked, dropping down beside him. “Harry, talk to me.”

Pain-filled green eyes met hers and Harry raised a hand to touch Sarah’s cheek.

“I’m all right,” panted Harry. “Are you?”

“Of course I am,” she said. “Let me help you up.”

She grabbed him under the arms and struggled to get him to his feet. Draco hurried over to help, ash settling in his blond hair.

Hagrid tramped over to them. He had blood trickling down his cheek from a deep cut under one eye, which was swelling rapidly. Draco had managed to put out the fire consuming Hagrid’s house.

“S’not too bad,” said Hagrid hopefully, looking at the smoking wreck. “Nothing Dumbledore won’ be able to put righ’…”

Harry’s face collapsed with grief. A sick feeling began to rise up in Sarah’s stomach.

“Hagrid…” Harry said quietly.

“But what happened, Harry? I jus’ saw them Death Eaters runnin’ down from the castle, but what the ruddy hell was Snape doin’ with ‘em? Where’s he gone – was he chasin’ them?”

“He…” Harry cleared his throat and gripped Sarah’s hand tightly. “Hagrid, he killed…”

“Killed?” said Hagrid loudly, staring down at them. “Snape killed? What’re yeh on abou’, Harry?”

“Dumbledore,” said Harry. “Snape killed…Dumbledore.”

Sarah choked on a breath. Draco’s face had lost all its colour. Hagrid simply looked at Harry, the little of his face that could be seen completely blank, uncomprehending.

“Dumbledore wha’, Harry?

“He’s dead. Snape killed him…”

“Don’ say that,” said Hagrid roughly. “Snape kill Dumbledore – don’ be stupid, harry. Wha’s made yeh say tha’?

“I saw it happen.”

“Yeh couldn’ have.”

“I saw it, Hagrid.”

Hagrid shook his head; his expression was disbelieving but sympathetic, and Sarah guessed that Hagrid thought Harry was wrong, that he was confused, but…

“Where, Harry?” Sarah asked quietly.

“The Astronomy Tower,” he said in a broken voice. “I was right there and I couldn’t – I couldn’t – “

Draco quickly wrapped Harry in his arms as the other boy began to shake again.

“We should get back to the school,” Sarah said quietly.

Draco nodded and began to lead Harry slowly back up the lawn, Hagrid and Sarah following closely behind. Hagrid kept muttering under his breath but Sarah wasn’t listening – she had just caught sight of the Dark Mark hovering over the Astronomy Tower.

“Draco…”

Draco glanced up and took a shuddering breath.

“Let’s go,” he said.

The oak front doors stood open ahead of them, light flooding out onto the drive and the lawn. Slowly, uncertainly, dressing-gowned people were creeping down the steps, looking around nervously for some sign of the Death Eaters who had fled into the night. Sarah’s eyes, however, were fixed upon the ground at the foot of the tallest tower. Harry was walking toward it, now leading the others toward the crowd that was slowly gathering.

“What’re they all lookin’ at?” said Hagrid, as they approached, Fang following behind them. “Wha’s tha’, lyin’ on the grass?” Hagrid added sharply. “See it, Sarah? Righ’ at the foot o’ the tower? Under the Mark…Blimey…yeh don’ think someone got thrown – ?”

“Hagrid,” Sarah said quietly. “Harry already told us.”

The four of them moved forward, dreamlike, through the murmuring crowd to the very front, where the dumbstruck students and teachers had left a gap.

Sarah heard Hagrid’s moan of pain and shock but she did not stop; she walked slowly forward with Draco and Harry until they reached the place where Dumbledore lay. Harry crouched down beside him, Sarah and Draco standing behind him.

Dumbledore’s eyes were closed; but for the strange angle of his arms and legs, he might have been sleeping. Harry reached out, straightened the half-moon spectacles upon the crooked nose, and wiped a trickle of blood from the mouth with his own sleeve.

The crowd murmured behind them. Sarah felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Fred standing beside her, a distraught expression on her face. She leant into his side.

Draco knelt down beside Harry and wrapped an arm around the other boy. Sarah frowned as he rummaged around on the floor and then held up a golden locket. Harry took it and opened it. Over his shoulder, Sarah saw a note written in spidery handwriting.

She took a step back and blinked back tears. It was not a Horcrux. Someone named R.A.B had stolen the real one. Harry crumpled the parchment in his hand as Fang began to howl behind them all.

***

“Come on, Harry…”

“No.”

“You can’t stay here, Harry…We have to leave…”

“No.”

“Harry.”

Sarah watched silently as Draco tried to get Harry to leave Dumbledore’s side but the boy refused to budge. It wasn’t until Draco stood up and took Harry’s hand that the other boy allowed himself to be pulled to his feet.

Sarah, led by Fred, began to walk back through the crying crowd toward the castle. Incomprehensible voices battered them, sobs and shouts and wails stabbed the night, but they all walked on.

“We’re going to the hospital wing,” Fred said to the other three.

“We’re not hurt,” said Harry.

“It’s McGonagall’s orders,” said Fred. “Everyone’s up there, Ron and Hermione and Remus and everyone – “

“Fred, who else is dead?” Harry asked.

“Don’t worry, none of us.”

“But Crabbe said he stepped over a body – “

“It was Bill but it’s all right, he’s alive.”

Harry must have heard something in Fred’s voice because Harry asked, “What happened.”

It was Sarah who answered.

“Greyback got to him – I left him with Remus after Draco raced after you.”

“He’s a – a bit of a mess, that’s all,” Fred said, his voice wavering slightly. “Madam Pomfrey says he won’t – won’t look the same anymore…”

“What about the others?” Sarah asked.

“Neville and Professor Flitwick are both hurt, but Madam Pomfrey says they’ll be fine. And a Death Eater is dead, he got hit by a Killing Curse that huge blond one was firing off everywhere – “ Fred said.

They had reached the hospital wing. Pushing open the doors, Sarah saw Neville lying, apparently asleep, in a bed near the door. Ron, Hermione, Luna, Ginny, George, Remus and Tonks were gathered around another bed near the far end of the ward. At the sound of the doors opening, they all looked up. Hermione ran to Sarah and hugged her; Remus moved forward too, looking anxious.

“Are you three all right?”

“We’re fine…” Draco said. “Where’s Sirius?”

Remus sighed. “He was out looking for you but I’ll let him know you’re here.”

“How’s Bill?” Sarah asked.

Nobody answered. Sarah looked over Hermione’s shoulder and saw an unrecognisable face lying on Bill’s pillow, even worse now that it had been cleaned of blood. Madam Pomfrey was dabbing at his wounds with some harsh-smelling green ointment.

“Can’t you fix them with the spell?” Sarah asked tiredly.

“No charm will work on these,” said Madam Pomfrey. “I’ve tried everything I know, but there is no cure for werewolf bites. They’re similar to your scars, Sarah.”

“But he wasn’t bitten at the full moon,” said Ron, who was gazing down at his brother’s face as though he could somehow force him to mend just by staring. “Greyback hadn’t transformed, so surely Bill won’t be a – a real - ?”

He looked uncertainly at Remus.

“No, I don’t think that Bill will be a true werewolf,” said Remus, “but that does not mean that there won’t be some contamination. Those are cursed wounds. They are unlikely ever to heal fully, and – and Bill might have some wolfish characteristics from now on.”

“Dumbledore might know something that’d work, though,” Ron said. “Where is he? Bill fought those maniacs on Dumbledore’s order, Dumbledore owed him, he can’t leave him in this state – “

“Ron – Dumbledore’s dead,” said Sarah.

“No!” Remus looked wildly from Sarah to Harry to Draco, as though the others would contradict her, but when they did not, Remus collapsed into a chair beside Bill’s bed, his hands over his face. Sarah had never seen Remus lose control before.

At that moment, the ward doors opened again and Sirius walked in.

“Thank Merlin you three are all right,” he said in relief, hurrying up to them and pulling Harry into a hug. “What’s wrong?” he added when he saw Remus and the other’s faces.

“Dumbledore’s dead, Padfoot,” Remus muttered brokenly.

“What?” gaped Sirius. “How?”

“Snape killed him,” said Harry. “I was there, I saw it. We arrived back on the Astronomy Tower because that’s where the Mark was…Dumbledore was ill, he was weak, but I think he realised it was a trap when we heard footsteps running up the stairs. He immobilised me, I couldn’t do anything, I was under the Invisibility Cloak – and then Crabbe came through the door and disarmed him – “

Hermione clapped her hands to her mouth and Ron groaned. Luna’s mouth trembled.

“ – more Death Eaters arrived – and then Snape – and Snape did it. The _Avada Kedavra_.” Harry couldn’t go on. Draco held him tightly to his chest.

Madam Pomfrey burst into tears. Nobody paid her any attention except Sarah, who whispered, “Shh! Listen!”

Gulping, Madam Pomfrey pressed her fingers to her mouth, her eyes wide. Somewhere out in the darkness, a phoenix was singing in a way Sarah had never heard before: a stricken lament of terrible beauty. And Sarah felt that the music was inside her, not without: it was her own grief turned magically to song that echoed across the grounds and through the castle windows.

How long they all stood there, listening, she did not know, nor why it seemed to ease their pain a little to listen to the sound of their mourning, but it felt like a long time later that the hospital door opened again and Professor McGonagall entered the ward. Like all the rest, she bore marks of the recent battle: there were grazes on her face and her robes were ripped.

“Molly and Arthur are on their way,” she said, and the spell of the music was broken. Everyone roused themselves as though coming out of trances, turning again to look at Bill, or else to rub their own eyes and shake their heads. Professor McGonagall asked about Dumbledore and Harry had to break the news again, causing her to sway dangerously until Madam Pomfrey helped her into a chair.

Sarah faltered too, the exhaustion finally catching up to her as adrenaline flowed out of her body. Fred caught her and directed her to a free bed as Madam Pomfrey swooped down upon her.

“You all need sleep,” the nurse demanded.

“No,” Sarah said. “Later.”

“Why Snape?” Professor McGonagall asked. “Albus always said he had an ironclad reason for why he trusted Snape.”

“I know,” said Harry, and they all turned to look at him. “Snape passed Voldemort the information that made Voldemort hunt down my mum and dad. Then Snape told Dumbledore he hadn’t realised what he was doing, he was really sorry he’d done it, sorry that they were dead.”

They all stared at him.

“And Dumbledore believed that?” said Sirius incredulously. “Dumbledore believed Snape was sorry James was dead? Snape _hated_ James…”

“When Snape arrived at the fight, did he join in on the Death Eater’s side?” asked Sarah.

“I don’t know exactly how it happened,” said Professor McGonagall distractedly. “It’s all so confusing…Dumbledore had told us that he would be leaving the school for a few hours and that we were to patrol the corridors just in case…Remus, Bill, Sirius, Tonks and the twins were to join us…and so we patrolled. All seemed quiet. Every secret passageway out of the school was covered. We knew nobody could fly in. There were powerful enchantments on every entrance into the castle. I still don’t know how the Death Eaters can possible have entered…”

“I do,” said Harry, and he explained briefly about how Crabbe had fixed a Vanishing Cabinet which had a pair at Borgin and Burkes. “So they got in through the Room of Requirement.”

Sarah groaned in frustration.

“We messed up, Harry,” she said. “Draco and I were patrolling in front of the room but when the door appeared, everything went pitch black. He had used Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder – we couldn’t see a thing.”

“They walked straight past us,” swore Draco.

Fred and George looked extremely guilty.

“We’re so sorry,” George said in a distraught voice. “That’s one of our products.”

“Luckily, Sarah and Draco ran into me almost immediately,” Sirius said. “I told them about Bill and brought them to where everyone else was fighting.”

“Crabbe obviously hadn’t expected people to be on watch,” Remus explained. “The fight broke out when the Death Eaters bumped into me and Bill. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna and Neville all arrived shortly after. The Death Eaters scattered and we gave chase. One of them, Gibbon, broke away and headed up the tower stairs – “

“To set off the Mark?” asked Harry.

“He must have done, yes, they must have arranged that before they left the Room of Requirement,” said Remus. “But I don’t think Gibbon liked the idea of waiting up there alone for Dumbledore, because he came running back downstairs to rejoin the fight and was hit by a Killing Curse that just missed me.”

“We were in trouble, we were losing,” said Tonks in a low voice. “Gibbon was down, but the rest of the Death Eaters seemed ready to fight to the death. Neville had been hurt, Bill had been savaged by Greyback…It was all dark…curses flying everywhere…The Crabbe boy had vanished, he must have slipped past, up the stairs…then more of them ran after him, but one of them blocked the stairs behind them with some kind of curse…Ron ran at it but got thrown up in the air – “

“None of us could break through,” said Ron, “and that massive Death Eater was still firing jinxes all over the place, they were bouncing off the walls and barely missing us…”

“And then Snape was there,” said Tonks, “and then he wasn’t – “

“And that was when Sarah, Draco and Sirius arrived,” Ginny said. “Next thing I knew, Sarah was blasting a Death Eater away from me and running after Draco and Harry.”

They all fell silent. Fawkes’ lament was still echoing over the dark grounds outside. As the music reverberated upon the air, Sarah felt herself calm down slightly, She grabbed Fred’s hand in her own and pulled him down so he sat beside her on the bed.

The doors of the hospital wing burst open again, making them all jump. Mr and Mrs Weasley were striding up the war, Fleur just behind them, her beautiful face terrified.

“Molly – Arthur – “ said Professor McGonagall, jumping up and hurrying to greet them. “I am so sorry – “

“Bill,” whispered Mrs Weasley, darting past Professor McGonagall as she caught sight of Bill’s mangled face. “Oh, _Bill_!”

Remus and Tonks had got up hastily and retreated so that Mr and Mrs Weasley could get nearer to the bed. Mrs Weasley bent over her son and pressed her lips to his bloody forehead.

“You said Greyback attacked him?” Mr Weasley asked Professor McGonagall distractedly. “But he hadn’t transformed? So what does that mean? What will happen to Bill?”

“We don’t yet know,” said Professor McGonagall, looking helplessly at Remus.

“There will probably be some contamination, Arthur,” said Remus. “It is an odd case, possibly unique…We don’t know what his behaviour might be like when he awakens…”

Mrs Weasley took the nasty-smelling ointment from Madam Pomfrey and began dabbing at Bill’s wounds.

“And Dumbledore…” said Mr Weasley. “Minerva, is it true…Is he really?”

As Professor McGonagall nodded, Harry and Draco joined Sarah and Fred on the bed. Fleur moved closer, gazing down at Bill with a frozen expression on her face.

“Dumbledore gone,” whispered Mr Weasley, but Mrs Weasley had eyes only for their eldest son; she began to sob, tears falling onto Bill’s mutilated face.

“Of course, it doesn’t matter how he looks…It’s not r-really important…but he was a very handsome little b-boy…always very handsome…and he was g-going to be married!”

“And what do you mean by zat?” said Fleur suddenly and loudly. “What do you mean, ‘’e was _going_ to be married?’”

Mrs Weasley raised her tear-stained face, looking startled. “Well – only that – “

“You theenk Bill will not wish to marry me anymore?” demanded Fleur. “You theenk, because of these bites, he will not love me?”

“No, that’s not what I – “

“Because ‘e will!” said Fleur, drawing herself up to her full height and throwing back her long mane of silver hair. “It would take more zan a werewolf to stop Bill loving me!”

“Well, yes, I’m sure,” said Mrs Weasley, “but I thought perhaps – give how – how he – “

“You thought I would not weesh to marry him? Or per’aps, you hoped?” said Fleur, her nostrils flaring. “What do I care how he looks? I am good-looking enough for both of us, I theenk! All these scars show is zat my husband is brave! And I shall do zat!” she added fiercely, pushing Mrs Weasley aside and snatching the ointment from her.

Mrs Weasley fell back against her husband and watched Fleur mopping up Bill’s wounds with a most curious expressions upon her face. Nobody said anything; Sarah hardly dared to move. Like everyone else, she was waiting for the explosion.

“Our Great-Auntie Muriel,” said Mrs Weasley after a long pause, “had a very beautiful tiara – goblin-made – which I am sure I could persuade her to lend you for the wedding. She is very fond of Bill, you know, and it would look lovely with your hair.”

“Thank you,” said Fleur stiffly. “I am sure zat will be lovely.”

And then, Sarah did not quite see how it happened, both women were crying and hugging each other. Fred, Draco and Harry turned to look at Sarah with bewildered expressions but she just shrugged, equally as startled.

“I think it’s time you all went to bed,” Professor McGonagall said after a few moments of quiet. “You are all welcome to stay here for the night,” she added to the adults.

“Will you stay with me?” Sarah asked Fred quietly.

He nodded and wrapped an arm around her, holding her tightly as everyone began moving toward the entrance except for Fleur, Mr and Mrs Weasley.

Sarah had never been so grateful to see her bed and she didn’t hesitate to fall onto it and into oblivion, Fred by her side.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

All lessons where suspended, all examinations postponed. Some students were hurried away from Hogwarts by their parents over the next couple of days – the Patil twins were gone before breakfast on the morning following Dumbledore’s death and Zacharias Smith was escorted from the castle by his haughty-looking father. Seamus Finnegan, on the other hand, refused point-blank to accompany his mother home; they had a shouting match in the entrance hall that was resolved when she agreed that he could remain behind for the funeral. She had difficulty in finding a bed in Hogsmeade, Seamus told Sarah, for wizards and witches were pouring into the village, preparing to pay their last respects to Dumbledore.

Some excitement was caused among the younger students, who had never seen if before, when a powder-blue carriage the size of a house, pulled by a dozen giant winged palominos, came soaring out of the sky in the late afternoon before the funeral and landed on the edge of the forest. Sarah watched from a window as Madame Maxine descended from the carriage and threw herself into Hagrid’s waiting arms. Meanwhile, a delegation of Ministry officials, including the Minister for Magic himself, was being accommodated within the castle. Sarah was diligently avoiding contact with any of them, Harry sharing her sentiment. They both knew that if any of the officials saw Harry, he would be asked again to account for Dumbledore’s last excursion from Hogwarts. Sarah knew that Professor McGonagall had already tried getting an answer and that Harry had refused to give one.

Sarah, Draco, Harry, Ron and Hermione were spending all of their time together. The beautiful weather seemed to mock them. Sarah spent nearly almost as much time in the hospital wing, helping Madam Pomfrey and keeping Bill company as she tended to his wounds. His scars were as bad as ever – in truth, he now bore a distinct resemblance to Mad-Eye Moody, though thankfully with both eyes and legs – but in personality he seemed just the same as ever. All that appeared to have changed was that he now had a great liking for very rare steaks.

“…so eet ees lucky ‘e is marrying me,” said Fleur happily, plumping Bill’s pillows, “because ze British overcook their meat, I ‘ave always said this.”

Sarah woke up early the next day; the Hogwarts Express would be leaving an hour after the funeral. Upstairs, she found the mood in the Great Hall subdued. Everybody was wearing their dress robes and no one seemed very hungry. Professor McGonagall had left the thronelike chair in the middle of the staff table empty. Hagrid’s chair was deserted too; Sarah thought that perhaps he had not been able to face breakfast, but Snape’s place had been unceremoniously filled by Rufus Scrimgeour.

Sarah’s thoughts were interrupted by a nudge in the ribs from Pansy. Professor McGonagall had risen to her feet, and the mournful hum in the Hall died away at once.

“It is nearly time,” she said. “Please follow your Heads of Houses out into the grounds. Gryffindors, after me.”

The Slytherins waited until the other Houses had left the Hall before following Slughorn, who was wearing magnificent long, emerald green robes embroidered with silver. They were heading, as Sarah saw when she stepped out onto the stone steps from the front doors, toward the lake. The warmth of the sun caressed her face as they followed Slughorn in silence to the place where hundreds of chairs had been set out in rows. An aisle ran down the centre of them: there was a marble table standing at the front, all chairs facing it. It was the most beautiful summer’s day.

An extraordinary assortment of people had already settled into half of the chairs; shabby and smart, old and young. Most Sarah did not recognise, but a few she did, including members of the Order of the Phoenix: Kingsley Shacklebolt; Mad-Eye Moody; Tonks, her hair a vivid pink; Remus and Sirius; Mr and Mrs Weasley; Bill supported by Fleur and followed by Fred and George, who were wearing jackets of black dragon skin. Then there was Madame Maxime, who took up two and a half chairs on her own; Tom, the landlord of the Leaky Cauldron and his daughter, Amanda, who was holding hands with a dark-haired woman; Arabella Figg, Harry’s squib neighbour; the hairy bass player from the Wizarding group the Weird Sisters; Ernie Prang, driver of the Knight Bus; Madam Malkin, of the rob shop in Diagon Alley; and some people whom Sarah merely knew by sight, such as the barman of the Hog’s Head and the witch who pushed the trolley on the Hogwarts Express. The castle ghosts were there too, barely visible in the bright sunlight, discernible only when they moved, shimmering insubstantially on the gleaming air.

Sarah, Draco, Pansy, Blaise and Theo filled into seats at the end of a row beside the lake. People were whispering to each other; it sounded like a breeze in the grass, but the birdsong was louder by far. The crowd continued to swell; with a great rush of affection for both of them, Sarah saw Neville being helped into a seat by Luna. Neville and Luna alone of the D.A had responded to Hermione’s summons the night that Dumbledore had died, and Sarah knew why: they were the ones who had missed the D.A most…probably the ones who had checked the coins regularly in the hope that there would be another meeting.

Cornelius Fudge walked past toward the front rows, his expression miserable, twirling his green bowler hat as usual; Sarah next recognised Rita Skeeter, who, she was infuriated to see, had a notebook clutched in her red-taloned hand, and then, with a worse jolt of fury, Dolores Umbridge, and unconvincing expression of grief upon her toadlike face, a black velvet bow set atop her iron-coloured curls. At the sight of the centaur Firenze, who was standing like a sentinel near the water’s edge, she gave a start and scurried hastily into a seat a good distance away.

The staff seat at last. Sarah could see Scrimgeour looking grave and dignified in the front row with Professor McGonagall. She wondered whether Scrimgeour or any of these important people were really sorry that Dumbledore was dead. She knew that Harry was taking his death particularly hard. Suddenly, a strange, otherworldly music caught her ear and she looked around trying to find the source.

“In there,” whispered Draco in Sarah’s ear.

And then she saw them in the clear green sunlit water, inches below the surface, a chorus of merpeople singing in a strange language she did not understand, their pallid faces rippling, their purplish hair flowing all around them. The music made the hair on Sarah’s neck stand up, and yet it was not unpleasant. It spoke very clearly of loss and of despair. As she looked down into the wild faces of the singers, she had the feeling that they, at least, were sorry for Dumbledore’s passing. Then Draco nudged her again and she looked around.

Hagrid was waking slowly up the aisle between the chairs. He was crying quite silently, his face gleaming with tears, and in his arms, wrapped in purple velvet spangled with golden stars, was what Sarah knew to be Dumbledore’s body. Even though she was not overly fond of the man’s decisions, she never thought about what it would be like if Dumbledore wasn’t there, leading them in the fight against Voldemort.

They could not clearly see what was happening at the front. Hagrid seemed to have placed the body carefully upon the table. Now he retreated down the aisle, blowing his nose with loud trumpeting noises that drew scandalised looks from some, including, Sarah saw, Dolores Umbridge. Sarah glanced at the back row to which Hagrid was heading and realised what guiding him in his tear-swollen trek: Grawp, dressed in a jacket and trousers each the size of a small marquee, was sitting with his great ugly boulderlike head bowed, docile, almost human. Hagrid sat down next to his half-brother and Grawp patted Hagrid hard on the head, so that his chair legs sank into the ground. Sarah had a momentary urge to laugh. But then the music stopped, and she turned to face the front again.

A little tufty-haired man in plain black robes had got to his feet and stood now in front of Dumbledore’s body. Sarah could not hear what he was saying. Odd words floated back to them over the hundreds of heads. “Nobility of spirit”…”intellectual contribution”…”greatness of heart”…It did not seem to mean very much.

There was a soft splashing noise to her left and she saw that the merpeople had broken the surface to listen too. She remembered Dumbledore crouching at the water’s edge two years ago, very close to where Sarah now sat, and conversing in Mermish with the Merchieftainess after the end of the second Triwizard task.

As the little man in black droned on, there was movement among the trees. The centaurs had come to pay their respects too. They did not move into the open but Sarah saw them standing quite still, half hidden in the shadow, watching the wizards, their bows hanging at their sides. And Sarah remembered her first nightmarish trip into the forest, the first time she and Harry had ever encountered Voldemort.

The little man in black had stopped speaking at last and resumed his seat. Sarah waited for somebody else to get to their feet; she expected speeches, probably from the Minister, but nobody moved.

Then several people screamed. Bright, white flames had erupted around Dumbledore’s body and the table upon which it lay: higher and higher they rose, obscuring the body. White smoke spiralled into the air and made strange shapes; for one heart-stopping moment, Sarah thought she saw a phoenix fly joyfully into the blue, but next second the fire had vanished. In its place was a white marble tomb, encasing Dumbledore’s body and the table on which he had rested.

There were a few more cries of shock as a shower of arrows soared through the air, but they fell short of the crowd. It was, Sarah knew, the centaur’s tribute. She saw them turn tail and disappear back into the cool trees. Likewise, the merpeople sank slowly back into the green water and were lost from view.

Sarah looked at Draco, Pansy, Blaise and Theo. All of them looked severe and blank-faced. Years of practice had ensured that their emotions didn’t show and now was no different. Yet again, Sarah knew that all the Slytherins were indifferent toward Dumbledore, considering his treatment of them. People began to get up from their seats and Sarah tugged Draco up by the arm. She began to lead him toward where she had last seen Harry, Ron and Hermione but stopped short when she realised Rufus Scrimgeour was talking to Harry.

“I see you are – “ Scrimgeour was saying, but Harry interrupted him.

“Dumbledore’s man through and through,” he said. “That’s right.”

Scrimgeour glared at him for another moment, then turned and limped away without another word. Draco and Sarah stepped up beside Harry and sent him a questioning glance. He simply shook his head at them. Ron and Hermione were hurrying toward them, passing Ministry officials going in the other direction.

“What did Scrimgeour want?” Hermione whispered.

“Same as he wanted at Christmas,” shrugged Harry. “Wanted me to give him inside information on Dumbledore and be the Ministry’s new poster boy.”

Ron seemed to struggle with himself for a moment, then he said loudly to Hermione, “Look, let me go back and hit Percy!”

“No,” Hermione said firmly, grabbing his arm.

“I’ll make me feel better!”

Sarah and Harry laughed. Even Hermione and Draco grinned a little, though Hermione’s smile faded as she looked up at the castle.

“I can’t bear the idea that we might never come back,” she said softly. “How can Hogwarts close?”

“Maybe it won’t,” said Ron. “We’re not in any more danger here than we are at home, are we? Everywhere is the same now. I’d even say Hogwarts is safer, there are more wizards inside to defend the place. What d’you reckon, Harry?”

“I’m not coming back even if it does reopen,” said Harry.

Ron gaped at him but Hermione said sadly, “I knew you were going to say that. But then what will you do?”

“Finish what Dumbledore wanted me to do,” he said. “I have to track down the rest of the Horcruxes.”

“You mean ‘ _we’_ have to,” Sarah corrected. “There’s no way in hell you’re doing this along.”

“No – “ said Harry quickly.

“Don’t even start, Harry,” Draco said sternly, looking Harry in the eye. “We’re coming with you and I swear to Merlin if you try to stop us, you’ll regret it.”

“We’re with you whatever happens,” said Ron. “But mate, you’re going to have to come round my mum and dad’s house before do anything else.”

“Why?”

“Bill and Fleur’s wedding, remember?”

Harry looked startled.

“Of course you forgot,” laughed Sarah fondly. “Everyone will be there.”

“Yeah, we shouldn’t miss that,” Harry said finally.

Sarah smiled at her friends. In spite of everything, in spite of the dark and twisting path she saw stretching ahead for them all, in spite of the final meeting with Voldemort she knew Harry would have to endure, whether in a month or a year or ten, she felt her heart lift at the thought that there was still one last golden day of peace left to enjoy with them all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And it's over :( 
> 
> Good news! The seventh one is done!
> 
> Aaaaaaaand as a lovely surprise. I'm going to write a sequel! Because I hate the epilogue. Love you all!!!!


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